Around Hornsea Mere

It was another very frosty and cold morning, but sunny and bright. A circuit of the Mere seemed like a good idea so off I went.

Although there haven't been many great birds around recently there were loads of the common species and I managed a reasonable tally of 48 species for the morning:

26 Cormorant
67 Mute Swan
7 Grey Heron
5 Greylag Goose
4 Canada Goose
105 Barnacle Goose
c25 Mallard
c150 Tufted Duck
c50 Gadwall
45 Goldeneye
c30 Wigeon
7 Pochard
c10 Shoveler
loadsa Coot
4 Moorhen
2 Water Rail
loadsa Herring Gull
lotsa Black-headed Gull
21 Great Black-backed Gull
2 Marsh Harrier
Kestrel
2 Collared Dove
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 Pied Wagtail
5 Wren
3 Dunnock
6 Robin
c35 Blackbird
8 Redwing
Cetti's Warbler
c10 Long-tailed Tit
Coal Tit
c10 Bliue Tit
8 Great Tit
4 Magpie
I didn't bother to count Wood Pigeons, Rooks, Carrion Crows and Jackdaws as there were way too many all over the place
c150 Starling
c50 House Sparrow
35+ Tree Sparrow
6 Yellowhammer
40+ Reed Bunting
c20 Chaffinch
c70 Goldfinch
5 Greenfinch
20+ Linnet

Water Rail, Mallard and Moorhen

Pochard

Barnacle Geese and Roe Deer

Roe deer family group

A few of the 105 Barnacle Geese

Tree Sparrows and a Yellowhammer

Hornsea Mere

Marsh Harrier from Wassand Hide

Yellowhammer

Yellowhammer

Linnets at Wassand

Here's wishing everyone a very peaceful 2017 :)

Stream Dike this morning

Dry and sunny with a light NE breeze and 7 degrees at 08:30.

After checking the beach for anything interesting (there wasn't) I made my way via the usual route from the sea front and along stream dike towards The Mere. Just 30 or so yards along the stream I was passed by 2 Kingfishers, that came up against the end of the stream and turned back inland. One landed well before the bridge so I slowly approached to try and get a photo or two. I got several pics before the bird took off and went back the way I'd come.

Kingfisher at Stream Dike

 

 

I didn't want to disturb the birds any more than they get on a day to day basis with dog walkers and the like, so I left them to it.

As I walked round the slight bend in the stream I saw a large white bird standing in the stream - a Little Egret. We get good numbers at the Mere and I've seen one on the beach before, but this is my first in the stream. It didn't hang around once it had spotted me...

A Little Egret taking off from Stream Dike

Little Egret circling before heading off to the Mere

 

 

I carried on to The Mere to check out KP, hoping to catch up with the Egret again. Unfortunately I was disappointed as there was little to see at KP, apart from very good numbers of wild fowl and the usual suspects, including a brief song from a Cetti's Warbler.

As I was just taking a short walk to pass the time while my better half was getting ready, I didn't stay long and headed home. As I walked over the small bridge that crosses Stream Dike on Southgate, I stopped and looked over as I always do, hoping to see something like a Kingfisher flying up to The Mere, but I spotted something much better - a Grey Wagtail :)

Grey Wagtail at Stream Dike, Southgate

Grey Wagtail contortionist

I'd seen a Grey Wagtail briefly at KP on Monday and wondered where it had gone - perhaps it's coming down into the stream which is more like its usual habitat? We don't see many around Hornsea so it's great to see one that may stick around for a while.

The pics are a little grainy as it was really dark down in the stream so the ASA rating went up to 6400 to get a decent shutter speed.

Water Rail at Hornsea Mere

A good dry morning at last after the last few days of rain. Dry, bright and 8 degrees at 9 o'clock this morning as I reached Kirkholme Point on my walk.

As I'd seen Water Rail at the Mere on Monday morning in the pouring rain, I took my camera along and waited in the same place for one to appear. I didn't have to wait long, as one appeared behind a few Coot over by the reeds:

Water Rail and Coots

 I saw 2 Rails but one disappeared into the reeds to the left. This one however showed very well for about 5 minutes and wandered along the edge of the reed bed, feeding and preening.

 

 

 

 

 

By the time the bird had disappeared into the reeds it was time for me to leave for the dreaded dentist visit :(

Red-head Smew

Off on another walk on a dry, bright, clear and sunny morning. 5 degrees C with a light NW breeze.

At the seafront there were 9 Sanderling running along the tideline, but no Turnstones in view.

At KP the first thing I noticed was the sound coming from hundreds of Greylag Geese on the Mere. I scanned the water for any sign of the Common Scoter, Long-tailed Duck and Smew that have been reported over the last few days but I couldn't pick up anything through the bins. I decided to go over to the south side as the mass of Greylags were all congregated over there.

In 1st field I got a much better view of the water as the sun was now behind me, and in a few seconds I found the Smew. A nice looking red head :)

Female Smew from 1st field this morning

A boat with a couple of MD's put up the whole Greylag Goose herd. I reckon there were upwards of 1100 birds in the sky over the Mere. Spotted 4 White-fronted Geese in the mob :)

On towards Wassand hide there were about 40 Redwing feeding on hawthorn berries along with 4 Bullfinch.  In the hedgerows on the way back there were plenty of Tree Sparrows, Linnet, Goldfinch and Reed Buntings. Also a Skylark was up in the clear blue sky singing away. Great to hear that on an Autumn morning.

Female Reed Bunting

 The 100+ herd of Barnacle Goose were in the ploughed field as usual as I made my way back home.

3 of over 100 Barnacle Goose

Waxwings

Wet and windy this morning and about 4 degrees C, but bright, and within 100 yards of home I heard the call of a Waxwing, then saw 2 fly from a hawthorn to the top of a nearby sycamore tree. Watched them through the bins for a minute or so then they flew off south. I went for my camera but I didn't manage to relocate them. Lovely to see and only the second time I've seen Waxwings in Hornsea.

Down at the sea front the waves were crashing in and although I spent half an hour sea-watching, nothing came past.

On to KP and the first bird I saw was a Fieldfare, looking very smart indeed:

I checked the reedbed at Bull Hole for Bittern but it's probably too early yet. There were plenty of Moorhen though - saw 9 altogether.

I set up the scope on the point and looked over to Swan Island and Tree Island. Lots of Greylag Goose (c200) but no White-fronts or Bean Geese.

Just off Tree Island was a single drake Pintail - nice to see as we usually get females:

The Slavonian Grebe was also further out - it's been here for about 10 days now.

Grey Herons continue to fly in regularly and we had 6 this morning - here's a pic of 4 of them, all in one tree:

Goldeneye numbers are building nicely, about 50 this morning. Other duck numbers were 60 Pochard, 40 Gadwall, 50 Wigeon plus uncounted Mallard, Tufted Duck, Mute Swan and Coot. 3 Shoveler were feeding at the base of the reedbed off KP. One of the cygnets had a leg ring that shows it is from the Yorkshire Swan Hospital at York:

472Y red background with white letters

Missing October Good 'uns

The large numbers of good birds seen up and down the East Coast of Yorkshire have largely passed us by here in Hornsea.

Although we've had a Yellow-browed Warbler, we haven't seen much else. I haven't been able to get out that often due to family illness but to be fair I wouldn't be following the twitchers anyway. If there's a crowd of people I usually go the other way to avoid them :)

I've been checking the beach, cliffs and KP most mornings when I'm not driving West and the best bird seen has been a Grey Plover. I found it on KP on Saturday afternoon and then saw it on South Beach the morning after, then myself and a friend saw 2 over the Mere. This morning there were 2 on the beach along with a Redshank:

Grey Plovers and Redshank

Numbers of Greylag Geese have been building through October and on Sunday morning I counted 891 from KP. Many of the birds wake us up in the morning as they fly from their roosts over our house towards Hornsea Mere:

Greylag Geese heading towards The Mere

As the geese wake me up I get out of bed and check to see how the day is looking. This morning there were 3 Roe Deer in the field behind us, munching on newly-sown crops. Oh deer!!

Roe Deer

Butterflies are now but dim and distant memories, but on Sunday morning on a fading rose flower, we had a Red Admiral in our garden. A nice sight, but one that won't be available until next year now :(

The Easterly winds have been blowing for the last few days and this morning's was quite chilly. I may have to abandon my shorts soon!

Scaup, Common Scoter and Pinkies

A very still and quiet day - no breeze at all and about 10 degrees C, dry and cool.

At Kirkholme Point a Cetti's Warbler was singing as I walked in through the gate, this is getting to be a regular greeting and I like it :) In the same bush was a Chiffchaff, also singing away.

The floating vegetation is still hanging around on the North side of KP and a few Wigeon were feeding along it. 16 Pochard were bobbing around and the almost-local Little Egret was on Swan Island again.

I was hoping that the Scaup were still around from yesterday, and one was still present, swimming quickly to the East to join several Tufted Ducks.

Scaup off Kirkholme Point

While walking towards the boat jetties, a duck with a different profile was sighted and once on it, the bins showed it to be a Common Scoter. It took off as I got onto it so the photos are a little snatched and not as good as they could be.

Common Scoter off KP

Common Scoter

Walking around to the south side of Hornsea Mere hoping to see one or two migrants - specifically Ring Ouzel - I counted over 60 Pochard just off 1st field. A Scaup was also in there but it could have been the same bird I saw from KP. Another Cetti's Warbler was singing in the corner of 1st field.

About 80 Greylag Geese flew in and landed on The Mere and a few minutes later 5 Pink-footed Geese flew over.

Walking on through 2nd field to check the recently ploughed field and the stubble field, the 5 Pinkies that flew over were in the field about 20 yards from the Barnacle Goose flock (105 was the count today). Also in the same field was a Skylark, up and singing!

5 Pink-footed Geese - one is hidden behind 2nd from left

Flying Barnacle Goose - one of 105

In the willows by the wet piece of ground marked on the OS maps as "Snipe Grounds" there were 2 Chiffchaff and a Willow Warbler. Good views of all 3 birds with the 2 Chiffies bobbing their tails as all good Chiffies should.

A Red Admiral flew past and this may be the last view I have of one of these striking butterflies, now that Autumn is fast approacing. No Swallows or House Martins today though.

The last bird I recorded before I turned for home was a Kestrel, sitting atop a hawthorn bush.

Along Southorpe Road I saw fleeting glimpses of Tree Sparrows as they foraged along the hedgerows. The hoped-for Sparrowhawk didn't appear though - maybe tomorrow?

Hornsea Mere South Side and Wassand Hide

Yet another great day here on the East Coast of Yorkshire. Dry and breezy, 15 degrees C with a force 3 or 4 south westerly wind.

Although I walked along the shore and over to Kirkholme Point earler, there was nothing of note, but when I walked into 1st Field and heard the song of a Cetti's Warbler, I knew all was well :)

Down by the fence line a late Sedge Warbler was flitting from bush to bush, picking insects as it went. No doubt fattening up for the long flight south to Africa where they spend winter.

Wild fowl numbers continue to increase with 28 Pochard, 8 Shoveler, about 240 Tufted Duck, about 500 Coot, 100 Wigeon, 30 or so Teal and 200 Gadwall.

The large flock of Barnacle Goose (101 is the latest count) were laying up in the recently cut field, looking like they may have roosted there overnight.

101 Barnacle Geese

Towards the hide at Wassand butterflies continue to be seen, mainly Large Whites and Speckled Woods but an odd Small Tortoiseshell pops up here and there. 2 species of dragonfly were out and about - Common Darter and Migrant Hawker.

Common Darter

In the hide itself there wasn't much to see so I passed the time by taking panorama photos -

180 degree view from Wassand Hide

There seemed to be the beginnings of a lenticular cloud formation but it didn't get any better than this before the wind changed and blew it away;

Lenticular clouds, from Wassand Hide

On the footpath from the hide out to the bridleway a large (very large!) branch had snapped off an ash tree and lay over the path. No doubt the estate workers will remove it.

Branch in the way

A Chiff Chaff was singing and 2 Bullfinch were a nice sight as I walked towards Southorpe Road. A Common Buzzard was soaring over the trees but no Marsh Harriers this morning.

There were lots of Grey Squirrel this morning, probably active because they are gathering food before winter sets in. Beech mast and acorns are all over the place. Personally I don't like the Grey Squirrel. It's an introduced species that has had a detrimental effect on the native Red Squirrel.