Hornsea Mere South Side

On the beach and just off shore there was a reasonable passage of Swallows as I sauntered along the promenade this morning. I counted over 300 birds flying south but there must have been many, many more yesterday morning as a count of 10,000+ was recorded by friends of mine at Hunmanby Gap - just 25 miles or so north of Hornsea.

I met 2 local birders on Kirkholme Point who said I'd missed a Great White Egret earlier,  I don't like to miss birds on my local patch and can usually rely on local friends to give me a heads up on what's about, but this bird didn't hang around very long. These things happen, so I shrugged it off and went on my way.

It was a very warm and muggy early morning with temperatures hitting 20 degrees as I walked along the south side of The Mere. There was no breeze at all so the air seemed thick and heavy. A few hirundines flew over the water, but no great numbers here.

A few Wigeon had just flown in to join the Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Coot, Mallard, Teal and a juvenile Pintail on the water, just off the shore of first field.

Juvenile Pintail

Juvenile Pintail

Shoveler and Teal

 Several Little Egret had been seen on the shore along with the Great White Egret earlier, and 3 of the reported 5 were still hanging around. One flew from the water's edge up into a tree top and displaced a few crows that were happily perched there.

Little Egret

The usual Cetti's Warbler was singing away in the hedgerow between 1st and 2nd field and a Chiff Chaff was also heard in the trees and shrubs at the top of 2nd field.

Little else took my attention as I walked home towards Freeport, but a Small Copper was a real surprise in the fields - the first I've seen in Hornsea since I moved here.

Small Copper