Almost a Spring Morning

What a fantastic morning! Dry, calm, sunny and bright with a temperature of about 7 degrees at 08:30

It's been a while since I walked on the cliffs so that's where I went, hoping for Skylark and Meadow Pipit.

As I was walking past the crop field opposite Freeport I noticed lots of geese feeding there. On checking they were mainly Greylag Geese (50+) but the White-fronted Geese (30+) and Pink-footed Geese (5+) that were by the Mere yesterday were in there too! As I was counting them the farmer arrived on his 4 wheel drive buggy and chased them off. That's reasonable as the field represents his livelihood.

White-fronted Geese

White-fronted Goose

White-fronted Goose

Just by Hornsea Lakes there were 9 Redwing feeding in the hawthorn bushes and 18 Common Gull mixed in with the Black-headed and Herring Gulls.

Onto the cliffs and the hoped-for Skylark was soon heard, 3 of them up and singing in the clear blue sky. It really was very Spring-like with the warm sun beating down.

Skylark

Skylark singing

Skylark singing

Skylark taking a breather

Further on the cliffs I heard a familiar sound, much like 2 pebbles being knocked together, which is the call of a Stonechat. There were a pair of them with the male looking very striking in full breeding plumage.

Female Stonechat

Male Stonechat

Male Stonechat

Along the sea front the tide was just turning and starting to go out so I wasn't expecting any shore birds - so I wasn't disappointed when none showed up!

Checking Stream Dike didn't take long either this morning, no birds of note but the Mallard numbers seem to be on the increase, there were 11 in the stream today.

At the Mere I walked around Kirkholme Point to see if anything had turned up but again there was nothing of note, except a couple of Oystercatchers on the jetty.

Oystercatcher on KP jetty

Oystercatchers on KP jetty