Boom Time for Birds

Here in Hornsea things were quiet for a while amid the very cold, dry and persistent easterly winds blowing in straight from Siberia - or at least it felt like that some days.

The past few days have seen these winds ease off and the sun has continued to shine and we can now feel its warmth.

The summer migrants have been filtering in slowly but surely (although there is still a distinct lack of hirundines). Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Sedge Warbler have all taken over the singing roles in the woods, hedgerows and reed beds, with Lesser Whitethroat and just today Whitethroat, adding their voices to the local chorus.

Best of all we've had a Bittern booming over the reed beds too 😊 which I never thought I'd hear and it made my day when I first heard it.

Whitethroat, just arrived and singing loudly

Yellowhammer also singing

nicely marked male Yellowhammer

Blackcap

The warm weather has brought out the butterflies to add to the overall good time feeling. All seems to be going OK right now, although I know there are some concerns over the lack of rain.

Small White

Speckled Wood

Brimstone

Small Tortoiseshell

In the fields I have missed the brown hares and their boxing matches through March but they are still hanging on in there, despite the poacher's and courser's attempts to wipe them out.

brown hares in the April sun

In our garden the pond seems to be picking up after a slow start although most of our tadpoles seem to have gone missing?!? We have 3 frogs in residence named very originally small, medium and large 😂

medium frog - almost black

small frog - pretty normal colour

I haven't managed to get large frog in the frame yet but it's only a matter of time :)

Hornsea Wildlife At Its Best

The past few days have been epic for me. Walking along the quiet roads and the many footpaths around Hornsea, you see just what great wildlife there is around.

Although the media is full of bad news about how our planet's wildlife is struggling - and it is under pressure and declining make no mistake about that - getting out and seeing some local creatures is a good antidote.

Early this morning, braving the gusty and cold Easterly winds, I went down to check on the water voles. I had my camera in hand with the long lens fitted, and thought I was ready to get some photos. I reckoned wrong! A vole showed itself almost right under my feet, so close that I couldn't focus with the long lens and I didn't dare faff about swapping lenses so I got my phone out and set the video going instead. I had to edit the full video as this blog has a size limit:

Good to see they were still OK, so I walked on past the voles and went along the Mere south side footpath towards the hide at Wassand. A Lesser Whitethroat was singing in the trees along the bank at 2nd field, a lovely Spring sound right there! Lapwing were calling and Skylarks were singing over the crop fields and the White-fronted and Pink-footed geese were still hanging out with the Greylags in one of the fields. Surely it's time these birds left us? Most of the other wildfowl has gone now with just a few Gadwall and Goldeneye still lingering. The clouds were gathering in large, dark bunches and the light was getting worse and worse. Rain wasn't forecast but it sure looked like rain was on its way.

I got onto the viewing platform above the hide and noticed a number of hirundines flying around the trees by the hide - mostly Sand Martins with a few Swallows and House Martins mixed in. I tried to get flight shots of them but the light was awful, and sure enough the threatened rain arrived. I was OK as I was under cover and out of the rain and the very chilly easterly wind. I passed the time taking photos of the rain hitting the Mere...

Arty shot of the rain landing in front of the hide

The rain stopped and the sun came out. A pair of Marsh Harriers were showing well over the far reed bed and a second male flew over the hide.

Marsh Harrier in sunlight after the rain

Walking out of the wood I heard a Green Woodpecker yaffling. It seemed to be getting closer, usually when I hear a Green 'pecker it gets fainter and fainter. Walking along the footpath I kept scanning the taller trees, trying to get a glimpse of it. I've seen them before but never had a clear view without twigs or leaves getting in the way. Having spotted it perched on a tree trunk about 150 yards away I took a few photos, but twigs from another tree were in the way. I moved to a better location and spent half an hour watching and listening and taking photos. It was always distant and called lots of times. I really hope it amanges to find a mate this Spring!

Green Woodpecker record shots

I'm still hopeful of getting some good photos of these birds, but it all depends on luck as there are no feeders around to lure them down as people do in their gardens.

All this was after a fantastic day yesterday, when I walked along pleasant footpaths and almost empty roads to the spot where the local Little Owl can sometimes be seen. Another brilliant morning started with great views of the owl:

Add to this wonderful start a group of 4 Bullfinch in a tree full of blossom buds with a blue sky behind and well, what can I say!?

A caption competition beckons!

Hornsea and its immediate surrounding fields, paths and roads are alive with wildlife, so get out and wander around - you'll be amazed at what you can see.

Spring Is The Best Time of The Year

Don't you just love Spring? After the gloomy and dull days of Winter we get to enjoy longer days, more sunshine and the regrowth of all the plants that have been dormant for months. Add to that the arrival of our migrant birds flying in from almost points of the compass and you have so much to look forward to and enjoy.

The woods at Wassand are getting fuller and greener with each passing day. Primroses, Ground Ivy, Red Campion and White Dead Nettle are all in flower now and just a few Bluebells have struggled out too.

Red Campion

Primroses

Primroses

White Dead Nettle

Just a few Bluebells but lots to follow

Ground Ivy

In the sky, trees and hedgerows at The Mere, summer migrants have arrived. Chiff Chaffs were the first followed by Sand Martins and a few Swallows, now Blackcaps are here and singing in good numbers.

female Blackcap

female Blackcap

male Blackcap

Yesterday and this morning I heard the season's first Lesser Whitethroat too so I'm now eager to get out each morning to see what else has arrived.

As the summer migrants arrive our wintering wildfowl leave us, so Pochard and Wigeon have gone and the last few Goldeneye are getting ready to fly off. We won't see them again until Autumn.

Our resident ducks and swans are still here though and are feeling frisky in the warmer air and longer days.

male Tufted Duck

female Tufted Duck

displaying Coot

The easterly wind is a bit cool but I'll take this every time over last year's Beast From The East 😃 Dry, cool and sunny conditions make for good walking weather so that's what I'll be doing!!!

Water Voles

Water voles along our waterways have become a scarce sight these days, but here in Hornsea we are lucky to have at least two that are currently being seen almost every day. I won't divulge the precise location here because they are a protected species, and need all the help they can get after numbers plummeted by 90% between 1989 and 1998.

The American mink and intensification of farming are reportedly the primary causes of the shocking reduction in numbers, although we can't rule out some the measures put in place by local authorities and The Environment Agency to manage the increase in surface water flooding experienced over the past decade.

Water Voles are the largest of the UK voles, and can look almost as large as a brown rat when swimming. They are herbivores and can often be seen munching on tender green shoots on a stream or river bank - but getting a photograph of them doing so has proven beyond me so far!!

Two Water Voles together - never thought I'd see this

Two here as well!!

If you see Water Vole please don't disturb them. By all means watch, photograph and enjoy them, because they may be not be with us much longer if their decline continues.

Dog owners please avoid letting your dogs swim in streams, canals and rivers where Water Voles may be present. Our wildlife is important and is very sensitive to disturbance. Thank you.