Hornsea Mere South Side

March to date - 174 miles
Year to date - 498 miles

Another lovely, fresh day here on the East coast with a cool north easterly breeze blowing any last vestiges of cobwebs that may still be clinging on to my head.

The ground is nice and firm and easy to walk on without dodging around the boggy bits. The only dodging being done is avoiding other people on the footpaths.

No unusual birds or mammals were seen this morning so nothing exciting to report, but it is still feeling great to have the warmth of the spring sun on your back (when you can get out of the chilly wind that is).

Two highlights today. First was a singing Blackcap, my first of the year. It was in hidden by the trees and undergrowth so no chance of a photo but its song was unmistakable as Garden Warblers are still on their way north to us.

The second highlight was a singing Treecreeper. Treecreepers are common birds but you often hear them singing so when this one happened along, singing and flitting into a hawthorn bush I was as pleased as if I'd been told the pubs were opening again.

It flew from the hawthorn onto the base of a tree and slowly walked up it and onto a branch while feeding and singing.
CLICK ON PHOTOS FOR A LARGER IMAGE

Treecreeper, along with all photos below

Treecreeper off to another tree

 A Green Woodpecker was yaffling, several Great Spotted Woodpeckers were calling and drumming, Cetti's Warblers were singing and a Common Buzzard drifted over the wood. A perfect spring morning to be out walking and taking my mind off the awful situation the whole world is in right now.

Normality can't return soon enough for me!!

Hornsea South Cliffs and Golden plovers

A fantastic morning, frosty and sunny and devoid of people so pleasant and safe at the same time.

I was out wandering the cliffs hoping for a Wheatear or two, or maybe a Stonechat. Didn't get either but there were plenty of Meadow Pipits and Skylarks up and singing and some Golden Plover too 😀

The Rooks in their tree top Rookery were making a great racket as I walked past on my way to the cliff tops. They are brilliant birds and so characterful.

Skylarks were singing and pairing up and one was seemingly basking in the sun as it wasn't moving at all. Its feet were in frost but it looked comfortable.

Frosty Skylark

On my back from my (allowed) exercise walk this same bench was being used by a Mipit and a Skylark - but in line with guidelines they were practicing social distancing 👍

Mipit and Skylark nearly 2 yards apart

The highlight of my very enjoyable cliff walk this morning was the sight of 12 Golden Plover in a ploughed field. I've seen them here in the past but this morning they were reasonably close so I had good views through my bins.

12 Golden Plover

Mipits and Skylark were the dominant songsters of the morning, although Dunnock came close. The Mipit's parachute flight song and the Skylark really remind me of where I grew up near the moors of the South Pennines.

All in all a brilliant morning, apart from the awful overall situation of course.

Lock-down Exercise Yard

March to date - 147 miles
Year to date -  472 miles

Well it's a good job I can still get out for my daily walk in the CV lock-down, otherwise I'd be going crazy stuck at home.

I'm out earlier these days as it's light before 6am. This morning I saw no one on foot until I saw a friend about half an hour into my walk. We chatted for a few minutes and kept about 20 yards from each other and I met no one else until I was nearly home. Most people are keeping to the guidelines about exercise and social distancing, but I have seen a few exceptions!!

All wildlife and bird reserves have been closed so there is little alternative but to walk my local patch, which I am more than happy to as I do this 90% of the time anyway.

There was no frost this morning and I didn't need my wooly hat either as I set out in the cool morning sun.

The blackthorn is coming into blossom now and it's looking lovely. The blossom appears before the leaves on the blackthorn, so if you want to gather sloes later in the year look out for the bushes now and remember their location.

Blackthorn blossom

 The wonderful sound of singing Skylarks and Yellowhammers accompanies me every morning on my walks, interspersed with Reed Buntings and Chiffchaffs singing. Early spring is a great time and I'll enjoy it while it lasts.

Yellowhammer

Skylark

I saw my second brown hare of the year and several roe deer. The mammal sightings were limited to those along with rabbit and grey squirrel - if you don't count the first spring lambs of course :)

Roe deer in Wassand

The first spring lambs are out in the fields now

Dunnocks have been singing for a few weeks and they haven't given up yet...

Reasonable photo of a singing Dunnock but can't see the eye

That's better, but now you can't see in the mouth!

Another first too in the form of primroses in the wood, now I really know it's spring.

The first primroses are showing

Back home then, before too many are out and about so I don't have to cross the road to pass them or hold my breath as I walk by.

A Walk through a favourite valley

March to date - 124 miles
Year to date - 449 miles

Yesterday I had a walk down one of favourite valleys in North Yorkshire. I was supposed to be at the annual Scarborough Blues Festival for the weekend but as that was cancelled I went off for the day instead.

There was plenty to see and hear along the way and Marsh Tit were always present giving their characteristic call.

I saw 2 of them firstly at the feeding station but I have to say I was more interested in getting pics of the brown rat than the birds.

Brown rat under the feeders

It's difficult getting good photos of birds at the feeding station as I try to get natural shots rather than have man-made objects in the frame. So I walked down the hill into the valley bottom and followed the river downstream.

Nuthatch and Marsh Tit were the first birds I came across, noisy and busy in equal measure.

Nuthatch are always great to see and hear

Marsh Tits were everywhere it seemed, but just 5 or 6 birds

My hoped-for bird flew downstream calling and soon came back and landed close by. Grey Wagtails are very distinctive and such beautiful birds.

Grey Wagtail resplendent in breeding plumage

All along the river banks the plants are growing fast, with Marsh Marigold standing out.

Marsh Marigold with its roots in water as it prefers

Wood Anemone carpeted the wood floor under the trees

Several Robins were fltting in and out of the trees and when one landed on a moss covered fallen tree it looked worth a photo.

Robin

Pheasants are now one our most abundant birds accoring to the latest BTO estimates. I see them all over and quite a few were picking through the leaves and grasses.

Ubiquitous Pheasant

As I walked back to the car the Marsh Tit reappeared, calling and flying through the lower branches.

Marsh Tit, a last look before I left

Rain but still a good morning

March to date - 79 miles
Year to date - 403 miles

Off to Wassand hide again this morning in the rain, which was forecast to last a couple of hours but stop around 9ish. The forecast was as near as damn it correct and I was under cover in the hide for the worst of it.

A couple of Marsh Harrier were flapping around over the reed bed at the north side opposite the hide.

cream crown Marsh Harrier

A couple of Grey Heron were hunting over the reed bed too.

Grey Heron came pretty close to the hide

A drake Goosander flew east in front of the hide which was a good sight as it's a bird we don't see very often. They sometimes land on the Mere but don't tend to stay very long.

drake Goosander heading east

Coot and Jackdaws were gathering nesting material, with Coot making a real racket in the reeds.

I heard a Water Rail but it never showed itself today. Same with Cetti's Warbler but that's nothing new.

I heard two Green Woodpeckers yaffling in the trees but never managed to get a glimpse of them. A pair of Jay were calling and flying to and fro in the wood as well. They are a beautiful looking bird but their behaviour doesn't match their looks unfortunately :( still, it's all part of nature's rich pageant as someone once said.

A Wander Around My Local Patch - and a Rock Pipit sighting

I've been away walking elsewhere so it was good to be back to my local patch this morning. A few new wild flowers recently have made themselves known meaning Spring is deffo on its way.

As well as a couple of singing Yellowhammers it was great to see the local Barn Owl out and about as I went through Rolston:

Rolston Barn Owl

I usually check what's around at KP if I have time and I had time this morning, and the pair of Oystercatchers didn't disappoint - although they tried to hide they were seen on Swan Island:

Oystercatchers on Swan Island

Although they are very common it's easy to overlook just how attractive male Mallards are at this time of year:

Male Mallard in fine fettle

As I walked around to the south side a small patch of Green Alkanet caught my eye - it doesn't look all that healthy but at least it's flowering. Also a small Speedwell was catching the sunlight:

Green Alkanet along Hull Road

Speedwell

Walking on through the drying fields (thank goodness!) one or two of the arable fields have managed to be ploughed, but on the edge of one that is still drying out I spotted a Small Tortoiseshell - the first of the year for me:

Small Tortoiseshell butterfly

Along the edge of Wassand Wood there are lots of Sweet Violets flowering, small but perfect:

Sweet Violet

From the hide there were 4 Marsh Harriers up and soaring in the sun, including a single adult male., but it was over the other side of the Mere so too far for a decent pic.

Female Marsh Harrier

As I walked back home through first field I saw a pipit on the shoreline so I went to have a closer look expecting Meadow Pipit as that is what we usually get. It was greyish with no obvious Meadow Pipit features as its breast and underparts were indistinctly streaked. I also noticed that its legs were pinkish so I was undecided between Rock Pipit and Meadow Pipit. I took photos of course as it was showing well, but when the bird flew further along the shore to where I couldn't see it, I left it alone and went home.

Reviewing the photos later a couple of friends said they were happy with Rock Pipit despite the leg colour. They are better birders than me so I was content with their conclusions.

Rock Pipit - first field shoreline

Rock Pipit showing hind claw