Spring Is Sprung

 If Wheaters are arriving then Spring has most definitely sprung.

Spring springing with Wheatear on springs

 Birds are doing what comes naturally to them at this time of year and it will be interesting to see which of them will breed at the Mere this year. Last year was exceptional with low water levels dominating the habitat and bringing in species I haven't seen breeding here, such as Little Ringed Plover and Shelduck. Shelducks are back but will they manage to breed with the water so high? 

Shelduck on south side of the Mere

Great Crested Grebes - will they manage to breed at the Mere?

Of the resident birds, the Cetti's Warbler is always good to see as it usually skulks in the undeergrowth. This one sat out for a while and I got some more pics of this seldom-seen species.

Cetti's Warbler in Wassand

A few more locals were making themselves available for portraits too...

Male Yellowhammer

Marsh Harrier

Nearly a great photo but it saw me just as I pressed the shutter release

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Sand Martins and Swallows arrived a while ago and were joined by House Martins earlier this week. I spent half an hour trying to get flight shots, with not very good results. The best I ever managed was when we had them nesting on the house - a bit like shooting fish in a barrel but I got some decent images of them.

House Martin on the south side

House Martin

Linnet at Rolston

Insects are waking up with the longer and warmer days. Butterfly species seen include Brimstone, Comma, Peacock and Speckled Wood

Comma

Speckled Wood

Dark-edged Bee Fly in flight

Dark-edged Bee Fly feeding on Lesser Celandine

Tawny Mining Bee

Tapered Drone Fly in flight

Mammals in the local area have been limited to the usual suspects, with Roe Deer and Brown Hare being spotted more often than others.

Brown Hare

Bookend Brown Hares

We have lots of species of wild flowers in bloom and they are making the place look so much more beautiful. Along with the trees and hedgerows coming into leaf, winter is a fading memory.

Primroses in Wassand wood

Masses of Bluebells in the woods and hedges

Cuckoo Flower

Herb Robert

That's the last two weeks done and dusted so what about this morning? A walk along the Trans Pennine Trail to Great Hatfield then back via Goxhill, Weatherhill and the Mere south side was pleasant enough. The highlight was coming across six Fieldfares chacking their way through the tree tops. They'll be gone soon and we won't see them again until Autumn.

Fieldfare

Blackcaps are almost outnumbering our residents and seem to be singing from almost every available tree. Getting one clear of branches and leaves is the challenge.

Blackcap

I must have walked down the trail hundreds of times but I never noticed these until today. Left from the railway lines are what look like a couple of iron rail mounts.

Sunny but with a Cold Northerly

 This morning was bright and dry apart from a 10 second shower of light rain. My walk route was the one I do most, along Southorpe Road past Weatherhill to the hide or Wassand wood without visiting the hide, then back along the south side footpath.

 

The pair of Lapwings that have braved the ploughing (see previous post) were up and seeing off crows.

Lapwing in action

Lapwing

I did visit the hide today as I was early and therefore it was quiet with nobody about, even though we are in the Easter holiday period. 

 

The Willow Warbler and singing Blackcap found on Tuesday were still there in the wood, both singing away. I saw the Willow Warbler but no chance of a photo, but I had some luck with the Blackcap.

Singing Blackcap in Wassand wood

As above

 I saw yet another Treecreeper today! Ever since I mentioned there didn't seem to be many of them about I have been tripping over them 😂😂

 

While photographing this one I saw it had a small twig in its beak. I couldn't see what it doing until I got the pics on my PC - it looks to be using the twig as a tool to winkle out insects from a crack in the bark. I'll research this as I've not heard of Treecreepers using tools before. Nuthatches apparently use flakes of bark in some way.

Treecreeper with twig

Treecreeper putting the twig into a crack in the bark

 It didn't hang around afterwards and I didn't see the result of the twig poking. It flew to another tree, even closer to me which was great.

Same Treecreeper, different tree

At the hide there were four Marsh Harriers affording reasonable views. No real courting action that I could see yet.

Male Marsh Harrier

Cream crown Marsh Harrier, probably female

On the water a single Pochard was still hanging on, possible left over from the wintering group we've had at the Mere.

A lonely Pochard

On the track to Weatherhill before going into the fields I found my first Peacock butterfly of the year. It was very restless and was soon off and away.

Peacock butterfly taking off

Peacock butterfly