Shore Larks in the Rain - 4 miles

Well, the weather may be a tad warmer but it isn't getting any drier. This is the wettest winter I can remember having over here on the Costa Del Holderness. OK, this is only my 8th winter on the coast but it is by far the worst.

Having been unable to get down to Aldbrough/Cowden yesterday due to a Mother's Day trip to York to meet our daughter, I was keen to get down today to see if the Shore Larks and Mealy Redpoll were still about.

I woke up to a steel grey sky, with the colour of the sea merging into the grey clouds, and a steady downpour of heavy rain. The vast puddle in the field behind the house now looks more like an annex of Hornsea Mere rather than a crop field. Never mind though, get the waterproofs on (again), wrap up warm and take a waterproof bag for the camera and all will be champion I told myself.

After a bowl of hot porridge I was ready to tackle the elements. As I was loading up the car I saw our next door neighbour so, as usual, we exchanged friendly insults and banter and he went off to work - poor young chap he he he he!

I parked at the southern end of the MoD range and walked up the paths to the northern edge where the cliffs go on to Aldbrough. I could have parked down south to make life easier but then I wouldn't have got the opportunity to get a decent few miles in and warm myself up.

Through the range there wasn't much to inspire or excite. 2 Pheasant, a Dunnock a few gulls circling like vultures overhead. Along the path where I hoped to see the Mealy Redpoll, nothing stirred. I heard a few Mallard and Coot and saw 2 Greylags. Not a sign of finches anywhere. Hey ho, there's always tomorrow, and so onwards into the wild grey yonder :) Not too bad walking down as the wind was a North Easterly it was primarily behind me - but I wasn't really looking forward to going back!

As soon as I reached the spot where the Shore Larks usually are I spotted them, 5 Shore Larks in flight. They got up from the rough stuff at the cliff edge and landed in the very wet, muddy and decidedly unlovely field. How the crop will grow again I'm not sure - unless they've planted rice here.

Are you shore this is a good idea?

Lark's tongues in rainwater

As Steph still had my Canon, I used the Nikon P900 today. The quality isn't as good, especially when you use a high zoom magnification and a high ASA setting because of the poor light. Still they are reasonable record shots. Maybe I'll get down again before they leave our shores.

The walk back to the car was windy, damp and bird-less. Saw 9 Roe Deer though which was uplifting.