Spring Takes A Step Closer

 The warm sun over the last few days has awoken several Small Tortoiseshell butterflies from their winter torpor. We had one in the garden on Saturday and I saw a few as I walked to the Mere on Sunday. They look very worn and tired but still manage to be beautiful. Quite a few bumble bees out too.

One of last year's Small Tortoiseshell butterflies, now up and doing

Buff-tailed Bumblebee (I think)

We had a fox in the field behind the house yesterday, and today we have 10 Roe Deer!

Red Fox

9 of the 10 Roe Deer enjoying the warmth today

Roebucks showing the velvet on their antlers

Down at the Mere the fields show little sign of drying up just yet, but the birds up in the trees don't care. A Greenfinch was wheezing away while Dunnocks and Wrens sang lower down.

Greenfinch, not singing yet, just wheezing

The large pools of water in the fields provide facilities for the birds, including a couple of Shelduck this morning.

Shelduck near the Mere

There hasn't been much to get excited about recently, so the usual suspects get their photos taken instead. The pair of Wigeon on KP are looking good.

KP wigeon

Down at the sea front the Sanderlings, Turnstones and Purple Sandpipers are there each day. Here's a different pic of a Purple Sandpiper, taken as the tide was turning.

Purple Sandpiper

Battling The Elements

 The weather over the past week has varied from not bad to atrocious, mainly the latter. I've never known it so wet, with little respite promised either.

Still, no good moaning (although I do love a good whinge!) we just have to get on with whatever is thrown at us.

I continue to chase shadows in the form of Cetti's Warbler, endlessly hoping to get a good image. These aren't as bad as the weather but with the twigs in the way, they aren't very good either.

First attempt this year at a Cetti's

Cetti's again, same bush - same result 🤣

Song Thrushes have been out singing most mornings, even during the downpours, and they do brighten up the days.

Song Thrush in song

Redwings are seen and heard most mornings too, flitting from hawthorns to mature tree tops in search of food. They are very flighty though and do not like being approached.

Redwing

One morning in the hide there were about 300 Black-headed Gulls feeding along the reed bed edges. It was almost a feeding frenzy but I couldn't see what they were feeding on. It appeared to be a seed of some sort judging from this photo.

Black-headed Gull with food

Just over a week ago there was a really misty and drizzly morning and while on KP I saw a Grey Wagtail hopping around the jetties. I took some pics of course and the quality leaves a lot to be desired, but as a record of the food it caught, a couple of them are worth saving and following up to see if anyone can id the prey insect.

Grey Wagtail with some sp. of water beetle?

Grey Wagtail on KP flooded jetty

When the weather is particularly bad I do not take my camera with me on my daily morning walks. I miss some opportunities but keeping the equipment dry is more important to me. I have had water damaged cameras in the past so I err on the side of caution now.

Winter Aconite (Eranthis hyemalis)

 I found a fairly large patch of WInter Aconite this morning near Weatherhill. I thought it was Lesser Celandine at first, but on closer inspection it was much more interesting.

Flowering Winter Aconite

A smashing little wild flower

 

 

Don't go picking them though as all parts of the plant are poisonous in large quantities and can make you ill in small doses. 

 

I heard two singing Treecreepers this morning, one either side of the track through Wassand. Not often I hear these birds singing so it was a nice treat as part of the ever-growing dawn chorus. Not particularly good photos but they weren't close you know 🤣

Treecreeper

Singing Treecreeper

In the wood Primroses and Bluebells are showing through the leaf litter, adding to the greening of the wood. I tell you, Spring is almost here!

Everything's coming up primroses

Bluebells are coming through

Also in the wood Great Spotted Woodpeckers are drumming now (two this morning) out of four seen on my walk and Jays are active (two seen this morning).

GSW

Rooks are growing in numbers at the Weatherhill rookery (43 this morning) and LInnet are back in the set aside (c. 40 this morning) along with 14 Chaffinch and 7 Reed Bunting. Three singing Song Thrush were the soloists in the chorus. A grand total of 10 singing Cetti's Warblers set the seal on my affirmation of Spring's imminent arrival.

Views from the hide were of water, water and muddy, cloudy water - with the odd Mute Swan coming and going to relieve the boredom.

Goldeneye almost eclipsed by an incoming Mute Swan

Winter Winds On, And On

 January is by far the longest month of the year. People say it only has 31 days but I disagree and reckon it has twice that number at least. Still, it's well and truly over now so we can turn our minds towards Spring!!

The sunrises haven't been anything to write home about recently but one morning I was down at the sea front and underneath the endless grey clouds there was a strip of brightness, highlighting the windfarms of Westermost Rough (the nearest to Hornsea) and the larger Humber Gateway (much further south off Spurn).

Westermost Rough and Humber Gateway windfarms

Humber Gateway windfarm

Kestrel near Southorpe (by Steph)

 Views from the hide have been very quiet and pretty much bereft of wildlife apart from the usual birds and ducks. A Grey Heron keeping its head down in the reed bed provided a much-needed focus for 10 minutes or so.

Spot the Grey Heron

When you're reduced to snapping common ducks flying over the Mere with nothing else to commend them like great lighting or atmospheric conditions, then you know things are quiet...

19 Pochard over the Mere

Gadwall sneaking by snoozing Pochard

A couple of Short-eared Owls have been hunting along the cliff top fields, when thery aren't being disturbed by blasted machinery digging up the grass that is. I don't understand why it's necessary to take off the top soil that protects the cliff tops from eroding even quicker than they already are?!?

Short-eared Owl

Short-eared Owl

Grass taken off the cliff top - why?

As above

 More fetchingly, also along the cliffs, Stonechats continue to pop up and make the place look more enticing than it really is 🤣😉

Stonechat

Stonechat

As a reminder that Spring is on its way, the snowdrops along Wassand driveway are looking beautiful as usual.