Plenty To See In Hornsea

After the excitement of the Purple Heron last week it was back to normal. Slim pickings all round with our resident birds providing the only photo opportunities.

Male Gadwall showing his impressive plumage

Female Gadwall

Female Gadwall showing nictating membrane over the eye

House Sparrow collecting food for young ones

This and two below - Marsh Harrier over Heslop's

Mute Swan and four cygnets

Butterflies have shown well through the week, especially Painted Ladies with over 50 seen on a single morning. One new species for the week - Large Skipper seen this morning.

Green-veined White on a buttercup

Green-veined White close up on macro setting

One of many - Painted Lady

Large Skipper butterfly, new for the year list

 

Common Carpet moth

Also a new addition for the year was a Four Spotted Chaser dragonfly found at the hide on Tuesday. I've only seen one here before so I was pleased with the record.

Four Spotted Chaser

Common Blue Damselflies hooked up for mating

 Mammals are seen regularly, especially Roe Deer, and a glimpse of a doe with a fawn was tantalisingly brief as they melted into the undergrowth and disappeared.

Brown Hare

As last week, insects were the primary focus, although their numbers are not as good as previous year. I'm not surprised given the downward trend of all wildlife in this country 😕

 

Tachina fera/magnicornis fly

Psila sp.

Red-headed Cardinal Beetle

The Mere has been looking particularly beautiful this week - blue skies and fluffy white clouds above buttercup-filled fields look just great.

South side footpath view of the Mere

South side footpath view of the Mere

I have to say the Mere south side has more going for it then the north side. Arable fields provide us with food but are not generally good for insects or bird life I'm afraid. Intensification, insecticides and weed killer tend to have a detrimental effect on wildlife.

 

I walked around the Mere earlier in the week and for the first half of the walk I saw precious little life, and only when I got half way through the fields where the path meets trees and shrubs 

North side of the Mere

North side of the Mere, arable land and a hedgerow

Better after half way - north side