Windy, Rainy, Cold and Icy

 It's been a while since my last post on the blog, so let me cast your mind back to when it was a bit breezy with Storm Eowyn.

I went down to the sea front to see what havoc was being wreaked and was highly delighted to find that we were havocless here on the East Coast. That's not to say it wasn't a tad breezy, as this Turnstone found as it was hoisted from its chosen landing place to a place a few inches away...

A displaced Turnstone

The usual birds were found along the beach and it was a nice surprise to see the Purple Sandpiper on the strand line rather than on one of the breakwaters.

Purple Sandpiper having a bad feather day

Purple Sandpiper and a Sanderling

I walked up from the beach to the cliffs hoping to get the year's first Skylark as they are usually to be seen and heard along the cliff tops at this time of year.

Disappointingly there wasn't one to be found. I'm not really surprised as the amount of disturbance caused by the ongoing development of Hornsea Lakes and Longbeach has maybe put them off. Only one Meadow Pipit as well when there are historically quite a few along there in January. Carry on buggering up the countryside folks as there is still wildlife clinging on that you haven't totally scared off yet. This fox continues to hunt successfully amid the chaos.

A fox braving the wind and excavators on the cliff top

Life goes on regardless (hopefully) but we are several species poorer each year it seems.

The sun has made an appearance a few times and the local Winter Heliotrope near KP could have been awakened for an hour or two to track its movement through the heavens.

Winter Heliotrope

Great Spotted Woodpeckers are well into their spring drumming regime and I heard three rattling away one morning. I'm yet to see one of them drumming on anything other than a branch or tree trunk yet. Back west I frequently saw and heard 'peckers drumming on metal pylons. You'd think brain damage (no, not a Pink Floyd link) would result but their skulls have evolved to cushion the vibrations and they fly away unharmed to drum another day.

Great Spotted Woodpecker spotted in the tree tops

Back to the Mere now and I'm seeing a Kestrel each morning as I walk along my usual route. It swooped down to the road side yesterday and I hoped it had caught something, but it flew away with nothing.

Kestrel

The set aside field continues to do a grand job in sustaining our wildlife through the food gap. Linnet is the most numerous bird and is seen daily, followed by Chaffinch, Goldfinch and Reed Bunting. I hadn't seen a Yellowhammer this year until this morning when I found eight in the hedgerow towards Weatherhill in a mixed flock with over 25 Reed Buntings. As I walked through to the set aside I found two Yellowhammers there along with about 20 Reed Buntings - probably the same flock I saw earlier.

A good-sized flock of Linnet in the set aside

Yellowhammers and Reed Buntings

Yellowhammer and Reed Buntings

A last comment on the windy weather - I saw no damage following Storm Eowyn but this tree fell foul of the winds this last weekend. I didn't think it was particularly windy but maybe it's a cumulative effect? Almost half the tree fell and had to be cleared to make it safe.

Sad to see damage of this magnitude to trees

 * The Who's 1971 singles compilation album "Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy" becomes Windy, Rainy, Cold and Icy. An obscure musical link to keep you on your toes.