Bluethroat at Hornsea At Last

 All in all a very good week for walking and watching wildlife here in Hornsea.

 

My first Hornsea Bluethroat was enjoyed with friends on the cliff top, and the weather has been sunny and dry again but accompanied by chilly winds.

 Saturday 22 March

Redwings flew into Wassand Wood

About 50 or so birds came in from the West. Probably positioning themselves for the journey over the sea back to their breeding grounds.

 Monday 24 March

 A nice morning to walk along the south cliffs and check for arriving Wheatears. Hope over expectation again as none arrived. A pair of Stonechats kept me company as I walked along though, and the Skylarks are always a wonderful backdrop at this time of year.

Singing Skylark

Female Stonechat

A showy male Stonechat

In the afternoon I decided to walk to North Cliffs and see if the reported Bluethroat was still there, hoping others would have already been to see it and left by the time I got there.

 

As I approached North Cliffs I bumped into Graham who was just parking his car. I said the bird was a bit further along so we joined forces and went further north together. Having walked onto the cliff top we saw Ady who had just spotted the Bluethroat on the path by the hedgerow. We had very good views and photos were taken. Lesley joined us and we watched the bird for a few minutes before it disappeared into the hedge. Richard W was there but at the opposite side of the path, looking towards us with the bird between.

 

We waited for the Bluethroat to reappear and wandered up to meet with Richard. Mike then appeared from the other side of the hedge just as the bird hopped out onto the path again.

 

More photos were taken, the five of us had a good old chinwag and then it was time to leave, giving the Bluethroat a wide berth as we left so we didn't disturb it. Strange how we all met at the same time in the late afternoon without any prior communication.

 

Bluethroat at Hornsea North Cliffs

 Wednesday 26 March

 

About 60 Starlings and Redwings along Southorpe Road

Starlings and Redwings

Roe Deer sauntering across the road, early morning

Chiff Chaff

Primroses brightening up the wood

Brown Hare, probably thinking I couldn't see it

 Thursday 27 March

 

 Distant views of the Marsh Harriers at the Mere, checking each other out.

Male and female Marsh Harrier

 

Yellowhammers are more numerous now along the Mere hedgerows

 Friday 28 March

 

A circuit of the Mere this morning in the warm sun and westerly chilly wind. The usual birds and mammals were seen, but in a slightly different setting.

 

Wassand Wood

Song Thrushes are everywhere 😀

There's always one that has to be different!

The difference

Hornsea Mere

Saturday 29 March

 

I walked along to North Cliffs again this morning to see if Wheatears had decided today was a good day to make land fall - no luck, but a fine walk anyway. Not much to see, maybe the strong westerlies had something to do this that, but Chiff Chaffs in the hedge were obligingly close.

Chiff Chaff

 Along the sea front, the seal that had come ashore to rest yesterday was still there, watched over by the local rep from BDMRC to ensure everyone and their dogs kept a respectful distance. Fingers crossed that it decides to go back out to sea when high tide comes around this evening. No pics as it doesn't need me hassling it when all it wants to do is chill.

Trains and Boats and Planes? No, Just Walking

 A most enjoyable week wandering around Hornsea and catching glimpses of the wildlife I take for granted all too often.

The resident birds and mammals are coming into their breeding season and are being joined, slowly but surely, by the migrants that arrive here to breed. 

No hirundines yet (Sand Martins are usually the first to arrive, then Swallows and House Martins). Wheatears will be on their way and Yellow Wagtails won't be far behind. In and amongst, the warblers will sneak in and take up residence along the south side hedgerows and reed beds. Then the mornings will be filled with their songs, eclipsing the resident songsters for a while until I get used to them. Then it's back to remembering not to take these things for granted.

So what's been seen?

On Monday as I walked through Freeport car park (or Hornsea Village car park as it is now) I heard the call of Buzzards overhead. Three of them were circling and two almost merged into one.

One of the Buzzards had a distictive white patch

 There have been a couple of Meadow Pipits in and around first field and one of them perched on the wire just in time for a photo. Having watched them for years and years, I expect Mipits to land on fence posts and wires quite often but these don't seem to do it very often.

Meadow Pipit showing the diagnostic long hind claw

The set aside field has been a real draw for the wintering passerines, particularly finches. They are still there and Reed Buntings are looking splendid in their spring plumage.

A female Reed Bunting, looking for Mr Right?

I have noticed over the last few years that Wrens stop singing and I almost never hear one through January, February and half of March - they have just started singing again 😊

Wren singing again

Brown Hares are seen more often now (well, it's March Hare time isn't it!) with a total of six the other day - one came within feet of me as I rested against a fence post.

This and all below - Brown Hares

We've had frosty, dry and sunny mornings predominantly this last week which has been excellent for walking and watching wildlife.

Long-tailed Tit

I go to the hide every now and then, not often as there is precious little to see most days, but the view is always good. With no wind to disturb the water's surface the reflections were nearly perfect.

Song Thrush is still the loudest voice heard these mornings and we have plenty of them too. The perfect ten has almost been reached a few times, but not quite - nine has been the maximum count so far.

Song Thrush

Joining the thrushes, Linnets have been splitting out from the flocks into pairs and singing from the trees and reed beds. Very slim and upright, the Linnet is a joy to watch.

Linnet singing

Linnet not singing

Linnet singing

Yep, you guessed, Linnet not singing

I saw a Brimstone butterfly in Beverley on Thursday. No butterflies on the wing yet for me in Hornsea, apart from a probably Orange Tip in Seaton a week or so ago. Butterflies have been hard hit and much reduced in numbers over the last year or so - will this year be any better? I sincerely hope so, as they are such a part of our spring and summer lives.