It's a...Nice Day For a...White Wagtail

 An 8 mile walk along the Trans Pennine Trail to Great Hatfield was completed this morning in bright sunshine and a bloody cold north westerly wind. Long trousers, hat and gloves were dress code rather than shorts and t-shirt. Mind you, this week last year we were plagued by cold NE winds so not much has changed.

It was a very enjoyable walk with plenty of summer migrants - Whitethroats in abundance, a couple of Lesser 'Throats, 3 White Wagtails, a Yellow Wagtail, a Little Ringed Plover and a few Blackcaps - along with the already established Swallows, ChiffChaffs and Willow Warblers.

I haven't seen White Wagtail for a couple of years so pride of place goes to them:

White Wagtail with rape seed reflected in the water

White Wagtail taken through a hedge

 A single female Yellow Wagtail was also seen but it was too distant for a pic.

I've heard Whitethroat at the Mere in the last week but didn't have good views of them so it was nice this morning to be able to capture one on 'film'.

Whitethroat - one of 5 seen today

The end point of my walk was the large puddle that appears each year west of Great Hatfield, named in homage to Mike who first reported birds there - Ibbotson's Flash (IF) 😂

Two Little Ringed Plovers have been there for about a week now but every time I've driven past they have been AWOL. I therefore decided to walk up today and spend some time hanging around in the hope they would appear.

As I got near I met Mark in his car coming the other way having just left IF. He said there were two White Wags and two Yellow Wags but no waders there, and the wagtails were on a puddle the other side of the hedge from IF. I'd already seen a White Wag near a large puddle just out of Gt Hatfield so that made 3 for the morning.

As I got to IF and walked down to where the wagtails were I heard a LRP call, and I watched as one landed on IF. It stayed at an appropriate distance and there is no cover so I had to make do with record shots, cropped of course.

Little Ringed Plover at Ibbotson's Flash

Most of the surrounding fields are now bright yellow with rape seed crops, which provides good opportunities for photos. Last year I got a Yellowhammer in a rape field which could have made a good jigsaw, of the Where's Wally type. This year it was a Dunnock, much easier to spot.

Dunnock in a rape seed field

Along the TPT there were a few Linnets, and a pair were collecting nest material.

female Linnet with homeware from B&Q

male Linnet with nothing in its beak, wings or legs

I was hoping to see a few butterflies this morning but no such luck, so I made do with a few wild flowers and insects.

Red Campion

Early bumblebee (Bombus pratorum)

Forget-Me-Not

White Dead Nettle

Red and White Dead Nettle

Shepherd's Purse

Common Stork's Bill (Erodium cicutarium)

 A couple of days ago I saw my first Swift of the year over second field. A gray, cold morning so I didn't envy them their hunting.

One of two Swifts over the Mere

That same morning a Reed Bunting was caught nest building:

Reed Bunting

Of course, I can't leave without the obligatory Brown Hare photo...

This one was at IF today, looking a bit sleepy