Bearded Tits in First Field Reedbed

 I found a couple of Bearded Tits in Hornsea Mere first field reedbed this morning. They don't seem to come through this far along the south side very often, preferring the larger reedbeds to the west of the Mere. Maybe they were migrants just passing through?

Male Bearded Tit

Female Bearded Tit

The male with an insect

Insect repositioned and ready to eat

Going...

Going...

Gone.

Common Darters are still to be seen around the Mere in sunny, sheltered places.

Common Darter

There were plenty of Reed Buntings around the set aside this morning, probably 20+ but difficult to count when they move about so much.

The Barnacle Goose herd was at 128 this morning, nicely spread out and easy to count.

Barnacle Geese

The fields and footpaths are at last becoming softer as the rain begins to ease the harsh, dry soil. We need a heck of a lot more though as the field drains are still dry, and the Mere water level is very low for this time of year.

It was a lovely calm and sunny morning and just perfect for meandering through the fields and wood, with no where to go and no one to see I really enjoyed my walk this morning 🙂

A Wren in Heslop's

A raindrop in Wassand Wood

Tree Sparrow

Waning Hunter's Moon

Don't Count Your Pigeons Until They're Plucked

 This afternoon Linda came to tell me that there was a lot of noise from crows and magpies in the field at the back of the house. 

We looked from the bedroom window and saw that a Sparrowhawk had caught a pigeon and had landed with it in the field.

The pigeon didn't move so we thought it was dead and the sprawk started plucking it.

I stopped taking photos and was going to get my tripod when the pigeon struggled free and flew off, leaving the sprawk looking a bit bemused. It took off in pursuit but the pigeon had a good head start 🤣

Looked like a young male Sparrowhawk still learning its trade.