Local Patch Walk

 A normal morning here in the Tier 1 (soon to be Tier 2) East Riding of Yorkshire, but unseasonably warm at 12 degrees with a balmy south westerly tickling my fancy. 

I walked straight on Southorpe Road towards the hawthorns hoping to get photos of the Redwing feeding there. On my way a few roe deer crossed the road in front of me, unbeknown to the couple who had passed by a few minutes earlier.

Roe deer sneaking over the road between passers by

Down in the hawthorns there were a few Redwing, but only 11 today and they weren't hanging around to let me watch them feeding. 

Cr@p pic of Redwing

I did see two dragonflies though! Looked like Migrant Hawkers to me, and this is the latest date I've ever seen any dragons before.

A small downy feather had caught on some hawthorn berries so I took a photo using the selective colour set to red. The nearest I get to arty farty photography 😂

Red berries and a white feather

A record number of Jays this morning for me with 4 seen and heard up in the trees. 

The Slavonian Grebe is still hanging around on the Mere and has been here for about a week now. There were two at one point but we're back to one again. This is assuming that it's the same bird of course, which it may not be.

Slavonian Grebe in dull, grey light

I went home via Rolston and I came across another roe deer that came out of the hedgerow and stared at me before wandering off through a gap in the hedge into the field. 

One doesn't usually get so close to a deer that a full frame photo is possible...

Instead of carrying on across the field, it stopped and waited for me to arrive at the gap.

A magic encounter but I hope it doesn't get too used to humans as there are far too many about that aren't content to just look and take photos.

Back home this afternoon five more roe deer wandered across the field behind the house and into the hedgerow. Everywhere I went today there seemed to be deer about. Nice 😎