A Frosty Morning

 We got up this morning to the sight of Venus still shining brightly as the sun rose beautifully in the East.

Venus just about visible in the centre of the photo

The first new moon of the year (a Wolf Moon) was also still shining brightly as I stepped out onto the frosty road for my walk. The thermometer said -1 and my head said go back to bed.

Awooooo, werewolves of Hornsea...

I didn't turn back though, I continued and I was glad I did as the walk was great, with frosty beauty sparkling all round me once I got to the fields and footpaths.

The low sun's golden rays cast long shadows and gave many opportunities for interesting photos. Here's a few of those I took before the sun got too high.

Some of last year's umbels, suitably frost covered

As I was looking through the frozen umbels I noticed a ladybird on one them, sitting at the divergence of the flower stems. When I first saw it there was a slight covering of frost on it, and as I got the camera sorted out the sun started weaving its magic and the frost melted. Hopefully the little beast was still OK after a night in the fridge!

How was the Mere today?

Well, thank you for asking 😃 it was a tad cold and well frozen in places. The ducks and gulls were sitting on the ice, providing good views to check them for anything interesting.

A view from Decoy Hide

Mallards on the ice from first field

I was intending to do the Mere circuit today, but the icy pavements made me decide to stick to the fields where it's easier walking, rather than being at risk of looking like Bambi skating on the ice.

 

Early signs of the coming spring were in evidence too so that put a little more energy into my tiring limbs.

Spring is on its way (but don't hold your breath)

Meanwhile we have a few flowers to be going on with, such as this Winter Heliotrope along the entrance to KP.

A New Year Is Come Among Us

 A happy new year to everyone and I really hope we'll see some level of normality get back into our lives by the end of this year. It certainly won't be soon if the number of new cases is anything to go by.

Meanwhile, I continue to enjoy life as much as possible by walking every day around my local patch of Hornsea Mere, beach and cliffs. I go out as early as possible so I avoid meeting strangers as much as I can, and I give a wide berth to those I do encounter. Better safe than sorry has been my mantra for the last 21 months and has served me well up to press.

It was raining as I stepped out today but it stopped soon enough and the sun came out! Lovely morning light bathed everything - including a pair of Greenfinch that didn't look at all green.

Roe deer are the most numerous large mammal hereabouts and I soon came across a fine specimen:

Roe Deer doe

We've had precious few Redwing and Fieldfare locally until the past week or so, when a good sized flock of Redwing of about 60 birds moved in. I saw about 40 of them this morning in the trees and hedgerows south of the Mere:

Several Redwing

two Redwing

A Redwing

While I was watching the Redwing I saw a raptor fly through the field and land over the hedgerow in a tree. I went to see if I could see it well enough for a photo, and eventually I got a decent angle after slinking around in the bushes:

Common Buzzard, obscurred by a branch

Common Buzzard, still obscurred by a branch

Common Buzzard

Common Buzzard

The flock of finches in the set-aside field was somewhat smaller this morning as I checked it for Brambling (still one of my favourite winter birds) with just 20 or so Linnet, a few Reed Bunting and a couple of Tree Sparrows:

Tree Sparrow in the mid-morning light

I watched a cream crown Marsh Harrier drift over the Mere going west, until it disappeared behind the trees. Then a Sparrowhawk took the same route 10 minutes later. A Kestrel hovered over Heslop's for a minute or so then slowly moved off east. I missed a reported Peregrine hunting over the Mere - but I was happy with a raptor count of 4 for the morning.

 

A 3 hour wander through delightfully quiet fields and lanes (until I got to Hull Road of course) set me up for what the day may have in store for me. 

 

I'm just grateful I live somewhere that is quiet and has a decent level of wildlife, despite the best attempts of developers and idiots who don't care a fig for nature or the environment.