Mild Morning Musings

After the torrential rain it was we've had recently I was looking forward t a reasonably dry walk today. I set off with waterproofs though, just in case. The ground everywhere is just soaked through and through, with standing water in every field and on every footpath. It makes walking a bit harder, trying to evade the worst of the deep mud and water, as I do not like walking in wellies so I continue to wear my walking boots that are no longer water resistant, never mind waterproof!!

Sure enough I had only just reached the footpath along the south of Hornsea Mere when the rain started. Camera straight under my coat then 'cos the Nikon isn't waterproof either.

Goldeneye are still here in reasonable numbers but they are gradually thinning out as they leave Hornsea for their breeding grounds. The male Gadwall are looking tremendous now as they are in full breeding plumage. Fantastic colours.

From 2nd field shore line the Long-tailed Duck was showing well, just about 60 yards out. The Nikon bridge camera gave reasonable results in poor light but I'd have preferred to have my Canon DSLR with me.

Long-tailed Duck

Long-tailed Duck and Greylags

Long-tailed Duck

At the other end of 2nd field Jon had spotted a Black-necked Grebe, which is a good sighting for The Mere this winter as vagrant grebes have been few and far between. It stayed well out and never came closer than about 300 yards so very poor record shots:

Distant Black-necked Grebe

Distant Black-necked Grebe

A single Oystercatcher flew West, calling as it went, and a few Lapwing were calling from fields further South, their calls mingled with the song of several Skylarks that had emerged along with the welcome sunshine after the shower of rain had passed.

A Yellowhammer had also started singing as I picked my way carefully through the morass that was Snipe Grounds:

Yellowhammer

I decided to go down to the hide at Decoy, although I changed my mind several times before I started on my way down the Woodland Walk as I knew it would be flooded. Sure enough it was. Many times I had to leave the footpath and pick a drier route through the undergrowth around the worst parts of water and mud. The 2 fallen trees that are still lying over the path have become almost permanent features now, with a beaten path showing clearly the route around them. Will they get moved some time?

3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers were drumming and flitting up in the canopy and a Green Woodpecker was yaffling from the direction of Wassand Hall. I counted 4 Chiff Chaffs as I walked towards the hide but didn't see or hear any Willow Warblers.

Just before the hide there was an early show of colour as a nice grouping of Common Dog Violet was in flower:

Common Dog Violet

Common Dog Violet

As I approached the hide I'd heard a Little Grebe calling so I went in a quietly as I could and had my camera at the ready to try and get a few photos before it realised I was there. I could see 2 of them through the misted up windows but had to open one before I could try for a picture. As soon as I moved the window they spooked and swam like buggery into the reeds:

Little Grebe buggering off

I heard 4 singing Cetti's Warbler from the hide but, as usual, didn't see anything of them at all :)

So a really good morning's walk and a good tally of bird species seen, as well as enjoying a bit of colour with the violets.

I hadn't finished though, as I had some good views of a couple of Brown Hares as they ran through a ploughed field. Obviously March had been too wet for them so they had become April hares instead.

Mad April Hares