The Number 19 Bus Turned Up!

 As I suggested in my last post, the principle of number 19 buses works 😊

If you're unfamiliar with this "scientific" principle, it goes that you wait for ever for a number 19 bus to come along, then when one turns up lots of them follow.

Sure enough - I missed photographing the first Ring Ouzel, but I was confident that one or more would turn up soon. As it happens there were up to 4 here yesterday so it is likely there were a few more that I missed the day before. Two nice males and a couple of females were flitting in and out of a line of blackthorn bushes, landing back into the field with plenty of juncus and sheep to get in the way of views (and photos).

Two male Ring Ouzels

Male Ring Ouzel with Fieldfare in foreground

The females didn't show themselves particularly well so I didn't get any pics of them at all, which is a pity as I haven't got a single photo of a female RO. Something to aspire to then.

I spent 5 hours out and about yesterday, with probably 3 hours around the Ring Ouzel's haunt. The hail then rain that came down with a vengence for about 20 minutes wasn't pleasant but luckily the hawthorn hedgerows sheltered me from the worst of it.

On the way home I saw a raptor being mobbed by crows - a male Marsh Harrier.

Male Marsh Harrier mobbed by crows

I also watched a Wren singing away from the bottom of a hawthorn and decided to fire off a few frames to see if I could get a decent image. Not bad but I've taken better.

Wren

The last notable birds I saw as I left the Mere were 3 Swifts over the warbler bank - the vanguard of many more to appear over the next few weeks hopefully.

One of 3 Swifts

Ring Ouzel at The Mere and a Black Redstart at East Carlton

 At last I found a Ring Ouzel at The Mere. After years of trying I found a male this afternoon as I was walking along the south side footpath to pick up my car from the garage. As I had done 8 miles this morning with the weight of the camera around my neck I decided not to take the camera with me this afternoon. Aaaaaargh. Mistake. Never mind - hopefully there'll be another one along shortly, working on the vague principle of number 19 buses 🤣

I'm still waiting for the first Reed Warbler to appear here, but meanwhile we have plenty of Sedge Warblers to keep us entertained.

Sedge Warbler

Singing Sedge Warbler

Not only am I still waiting for my first Reed Warbler of the year, but several other birds that have usually appeared by now are still missing. To fill the time I take photos of the wonderful birds we have locally.

Treecreeper

Male Marsh Harrier

Male Marsh Harrier

Goldcrest

Singing Goldcrest

Singing Blackcap

Another Treecreeper

Common Buzzard

Coal Tit

Coal Tit snipping blossom

All the above are recent photos but those below were taken a week ago in East Carlton (just a few miles south of Hornsea) where I found a lovely male Black Redstart feeding on someone's lawn. An unexpected treat while searching for Ring Ouzel and Weatear!

Black Redstart at East Carlton

Great Crested Newt in our Pond

We built a small pond in our garden a few years ago, helped by two very able (and young!) friends. 

We hoped for frogs and damselflies and perhaps a dragonfly if we were very lucky. 

Last year we saw a smooth newt and we were overjoyed, this year we have at least 4 smooth newts and they have been very active over the last few days, hopefully laying eggs.

I've taken quite a few videos of the smooth newts as I find them fascinating and I check on them very often. As I was looking for them today what did I see instead?

Great Crested Newt

Great Crested Newt

We are really excited to see this wonderful creature in our pond, and of course we are now thinking "what if they breed here?"

Nature is so unpredictable so you never know! 🤞🤞

A Lark Ascending, Descending and Generally Hanging About

 Off onto the cliffs yesterday morning to check for my first Wheatear of the year. It was chilly in the northerly wind although it was very sunny and bright so good light for togging.

As expected there were plenty of Meadow Pipits and Skylarks about, so while looking for Wheatear and anything else that may turn up, I spent a lot of time trying to get some good images of Skylarks in flight.

This is probably the best I managed

The song of the Skylark always takes me back to where I used to live, and when me and my mate had a den up on the hills. We used to spend hours and days up there, leaving on a Friday evening with bags of food and our sleeping bags and returning Sunday afternoon. The summer days were great with nothing to do but wander about, build new walls for the den, forage for fire wood and just mess about. There always seemed to be Skylarks up and singing.

Meadow Pipits were present yesterday too, in lower numbers than Skylark but I saw about 10 or so.

This one seemed to be climbing through the long grass

While this one was going off the 10 metre diving board

I saw 3 Red-legged Partridge too, which are the first I've had up there for 4 years. I tried to get a pic of them but this blurry thing was the only one in which they are identifiable.

One of three Red-legged Partridge

From the cliff top I could see down to the beach where the tide was going out and there were 13 Sanderling along the tide line. 

 
There is a wonderful mass of Blackthorn on by Hornsea Lakes and at this time of year when they are in flower they look fabulous in the sun.

Blackthorn

 

No Wheatear again for me so the wait goes on.

Nunkeeling Priory added to the "Walks Around Hornsea" page

 

Nunkeeling Priory

Arc Of A Diver

Arc Of A Diver is a great album by Steve Winwood from 1980. The title track was playing in my head as I watched a new bird for my Hornsea Mere list, Red-throated Diver, swimming through the waves generated by the strong north westerly wind. Damn cold too.

...and yes, I know that our Divers are now called Loons but I don't remember a song with Loon in the title 😂

Red-throated Diver added to my Mere list

The Hooded Merganser of unknown origin is still at the Mere, hugging the northern edge usually, although it does fly to and fro every now and then. I will attempt to get better images but it needs to come a little closer first.

Hooded Merganser

 We have spent quite a few hours looking at photos of this bird from several people, trying to ascertain whether or not it has a leg ring. For my money the bird is not ringed but that opinion isn't shared by everyone.

 The cliff tops have been my first port of call each morning, looking for my first Wheatear of the spring. There are loads of Skylarks and Meadow Pipits along there but nothing else yet.

Meadow Pipit

I also check the small pond for other birds and this pair of Oystercatcher were making whoopee, as is their nature at this time of year.

Pair of Oystercatchers

 Down at beach level the wind was whipping the top off the waves generating spindrift, one of my favourite sights at any time of year.

Spindrift

Once I'd checked the cliff tops I walked down to the beach for a wander and to see if any Sanderling were still about. They were, just two of them, but they're great little birds with 3-toed feet that allow them to run at a fast pace along the sand.

Sanderling on Hornsea beach

Otters are being seen more frequently at the Mere and this one spent some time diving about 100 yards off Kirkholme Point. Gulls were mobbing it so it didn't spend much time on the surface which made getting photos of it very tricky.

John Otterway...

...and Wild Willy Barrett  :)

We are lucky enough to have breeding Mute Swans at the Mere and they are starting to nest now. Please don't approach any nests that may be accessible as this will disturb the birds at a very sensitive time - they may also bruise more than your ego if they decide to shoo you off 🤣

Nesting Mute Swan