Autumnal wildlife

A wonderfully sunny day and a good long wander around Hornsea to see what's on offer.

South Cliff was a bit breezy but still pretty balmy for 5 October so shorts are still the order of the day :) About 20 Common Gull were basking in the warmth at Hornea Lakes and a small flock of Meadow Pipits flitted around the set-aside field. 7+ Skylarks came in off the sea to add their voices to the morning.

Lark descending

A Dunnock was singing near the cliff top and was very active in and around some old wire

Dunnock

I scanned the sea and beach for anything out of the ordinary but couldn't see anything but the usual Herring Gulls, Black-headed Gulls and Cormorants. A younger and fitter me would have a scope on his back!

Over at KP there was a single Little Gull on the jetty. There were 200+ Black-headed Gulls on the water and the north westerly wind was quite strong, strong enough to raise small waves on The Mere. The water is still too high to harbour any waders on the shore line, although we've had a few Common Sandpipers over the last few weeks.

A lonely Little Gull

A walk on the south side got off to a good start as 13 Whooper Swans flew in past me as I walked through 1st field. I met John L as I carried on into 2nd field and he'd counted 14. All my photos showed just 13 but then John told me he'd seen one on the water over by Swan Island so perhaps one peeled off and landed separately?

Whooper Swans incoming

While I was talking to John a dragonfly flew past and landed in the grass - this was the first of several I saw during my walk.

Male Migrant Hawker dragonfly

A couple of Cetti's Warblers were singing in the willows at the bottom of Snipe Grounds but the hedgerows were strangely quiet today. The expected Linnets, Reed Buntings, Yellowhammers and Tree Sparrows just didn't appear. Even the Goldfinches were absent.

Down by the hide in Wassand where there was shelter from the wind, a few more dragonflies plus a Comma and a Red Admiral brightened up an already sparkling day. A Hornet also buzzed in and started preening (or whatever it's called when insects clean their antennae). This is only the second Hornet I've seen in Hornsea.

Female Migrant Hawker

A worn ,

Hornet

same Hornet as above

2 Jays were making a right racket in the hawthorn bushes, perhaps squabbling over a few berries or acorns?

1 of 2 Jays

same Jay as above but with a slower shutter speed

 On my way to Southorpe Rd through the fields 3 Common Darters and another Comma showed up. This Comma was a much cleaner specimen that the previous one.

another ,

female Common Darter

My final sighting of the morning was of the semi-resident flock of Barnacle Goose. They circled for a while and then landed in one of the fields. I counted 122 and also spotted a Pink-footed Goose in with them.

80+ of the 122 Barnacle Geese

Barnacle Geese with Pink-footed Goose