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 :)