Black Terns and Water Voles

KP, Seaton Road hide, beach, KP again
Drizzle, overcast, northerly wind, 6 degrees C
8.7 miles
44 bird species

Tuesday was my volunteering day over at Wheldrake so no update on here, and yesterday was a trip to Leeds so no update for that either. I may include a Wheldrake day in due course just to make things a wee bit more varied.

The big thing today was to get a good view of the Black Terns that have been appearing all over the place. I went to KP first just to check whether there were any to be seen from there, and although there were a couple of Dunlin and a few Common Sandpipers, the Black Terns were feeding over behind Swan Island where they were sheltered from the northerly wind.

I walked round from KP and joined Jon in the hide, and straight away the Black Terns were giving great views through binoculars. They were nearer Swan Island though, so quite distant. I took a few pics just to see what sort of images were on offer and the light was obviously an issue. Focussing on the birds when they were so far away was nigh on impossible for my 400mm lens as the background was always being favoured. I tried a fast shutter speed to avoid blurring but the poor light also meant a high ISO which degraded the image quality. Right there you have my excuses for crap photos - poor focus/low light/moving birds/grainy images. I could add u/s photographer but you already know that 😂😂😂 I did try manual focus but that was worse. So here they are, cropped to 50% or higher.

3 of the 9 Black Terns over Hornsea Mere this morning

2 of the 9....

The final Black Tern photo (for today)

Also seen while in the hide were Kingfisher, Common Tern and Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Jon had seen Sandwich Terns though his scope so I thought I'd walk down to the beach to see if any were on the groynes, which is where they often rest between fishing sorties.

2 miles later I could see why they were favouring the Mere over the sea, as the waves were crashing in and the northerly wind was whipping the surf on the beach into a moving mass of foam.

I decided to go back to KP so I took the opportunity to check on the Water Voles. Two of them were quite active, swimming from the far bank over to the near bank and going back over into their holes.

Water Vole

Back at KP the rain was still raining and Common Terns were dominating the available resting places. No Black Terns or Sandwich Terns here I'm afraid.

Common Tern, Swallow and Sand Martin

Home for tea and crumpets courtesy of Mrs C? Oh yeah.

44 bird species seen this morning:
The usual plus-
2 Dunlin
3 Common Sandpiper
9 Black Tern
3 Common Tern
Kingfisher

Mere Circuit

Ciruit of Hornsea Mere including KP and Wassand hide
Cool, showers, 7 degrees C with a light N breeze
7.3 miles
53 bird species

As there was a northerly wind again I planned a walk that would keep me out of the wind as much as possible. An anti-clockwise circuit of the Mere seemed to be the best way to go, and to stick to the road side rather than go on the footpath through the fields on the north side, as that would be unsheltered. I could also visit the small hide on Seaton Road too.

On KP (Kirkholme Point) I saw a Common Sandpiper on the shoreline near where the ducks and geese congregate. An Oystercatcher flew overhead and landed on Swan Island and was soon followed by the Sandpiper.

Common Sandpiper

4 Common Terns were fishing over the Mere and at least one was successful.

Common Tern

Common Terns, one with a small fish

Leaving town on Seaton Road I could hear the Oystercatcher overhead for a good while and didn't lose it until I reached Seaton Garage. Lots of warblers were singing along the road - Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Whitethroat and Blackcaps.

In the small hide a pair of Great Crested Grebes were displaying - these were two of at least 8 GCG I saw through the morning.

Great Crested Grebes displaying

Looking over the Mere from Brockholme, I could see the hide with its elevated viewing platform over the other side of the Mere.

Wassand hide at Decoy

Hornsea Mere from Brockholme

There are loads of wild flowers on the roadside verges and Garlic Mustard is the latest one to come into flower. The large flowers with umbels such as Hogweed and Cow Parsley are also growing quickly and will be fully out soon.

Garlic mustard

Wassand Hall drive

Into the wood at Wassand - I always enjoy going down the woodland walk that leads to the hide, it's so peaceful usually although this morning it was filled with birdsong. Did you know that it's International Dawn Chorus Day today? Who is this lady and why does she have a day named after her? 😄😄

Woodland walk to the hide

From the hide I could see that the resident Marsh Harriers were flapping around over the reedbed. It is wonderful to have them here and I hope they hang around for a long time.

A different view from near the hide

A final photo for this blog entry - a female Goldeneye appeared in front of the hide. We thought they'd all gone!

Goldeneye - surely the last of them until Autumn?

53 species - all the usual residents and migrants plus:
4 Common Tern
2 Common Sandpiper
Sparrowhawk
2 Pink-footed Goose
3 White-fronted Goose

Rolston Circular

Walk to Rolston
Rain, hail and strong N wind
6.3 miles
33 bird species

Not a bad morning really apart from getting a bruised nose from the hailstones 😄

It's always a pleasant walk through the community woodland, and today it had the added benefit of keeping the worst of the wind at bay.

Plenty of warblers as usual in spring, especially Willow Warblers that inhabit the biomass willow copse. No butterflies or other insects of note which wasn't surprising given the strong winds and rain.

Whitethroat

Dunnock

One of the rides through the wood

Species List 33:
Greylag Goose
Mallard
Pheasant
Herring Gull
Buzzard
Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Skylark
Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird
Song Thrush
Cetti's Warbler
Willow Warbler (5)
Lesser Whitethroat (1), Whitethroat (3) and Blackcap (7)
Chiffchaff (2)
Blue, Great Tit
Jackdaw, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow
Starling, House Sparrow
Yellowhammer (2)
Greenfinch (2)
Chaffinch
Goldfinch (c.30)
Linnet (c.50)

Cold, not much more to say

Local patch walk - beach, Stream Dike, south side to the hide
Cold,rain, 6 degrees C with a strong NW breeze
7.7 miles
46 bird species

No doubt about it that this morning's walk was cold. Not chilly, just bloody cold. Sometimes you wonder if you really are enjoying a walk every day, but then something comes along to brighten things up 😊

This morning there were precious few birds about, just a few warblers making a half-hearted attempt at singing. A young Roe Deer was trying in vain to get out of a fenced-in field, I would have liked to help it but the gate that I would have opened for it was locked shut. I could see another gate at the bottom of the field that was partially open and I guess that is how it got into the field in the first place, but it didn't seem to to able to see its escape route. Hoping it would eventually suss it out I walked on. This just added to my misery 😉

Then I saw a Brown Hare running about in a field so I watched it for a few minutes and after that I forgot about being cold and the world seemed brighter (for a while!).

Then I put up a Common Snipe from the footpath as I walked through, appropriately enough, Snipe Grounds, and I watched it zoom off into the distance. Nice.

The two long-staying Pink-footed geese were still with the large Greylag herd and the two equally long-staying White-fronted geese had been joined by a third.

Hundreds of hirundines were feeding low over the Mere, pushed down by the rain. Mainly Sand Martins and Swallows with a few House Martins mixed in. By now I was smiling again.

The morning wore on but didn't get much warmer. More birds started singing - no doubt to warm themselves up rather than doing it for any other reason :) The rain stopped! Oh joy unbounded.

Home for a cuppa? Yes please.

3 White-fronted Goose

3 White-fronted Goose and 2 Pink-footed Goose in with Greylags

White-fronted again

Young Roe Deer looking for a way out

A soggy Brown Hare - I shared its pain

Swallows over the reed bed, from Wassand hide

Species List 46:
Great Crested Grebe (1)
Mute Swan
White-fronted Goose (3), Pink-footed Goose (2), Greylag Goose+goslings, Canada Goose
Mallard+ducklings, Tufted Duck
Marsh Harrier
Pheasant
Coot
Lapwing
Snipe
Great-black Backed Gull, Herring Gull
Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove
Swallow (c.150) Sand Martin (c.250) House Martin (c.30)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (2)
Green Woodpecker
Skylark
Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird
Song Thrush
Cetti's Warbler(3)
Sedge (4) and Willow Warbler (2)
Lesser Whitethroat (1), Whitethroat (3) and Blackcap (4)
Chiffchaff(2)
Blue, Great Tit
Jackdaw, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow
Starling, House Sparrow
Reed Bunting
Chaffinch

No butterflies and no damselflies

Water Vole, Brown Hare, Roe Deer, Rabbit

Sunny but A Chilly Northerly

Local patch - beach, Stream Dike, KP, Mere southside set off at 07:45
cold N wind but 9 degrees C
7.2 miles
46 bird species

Highlights
Tawny Owl calling and being mobbed
first damselfly of the year

Shorts and a shirt today as I was a bit too warm yesterday, but I wish I had put some thin gloves on as my hands were cold in the chilly wind. Walked around with my hands in my pockets like a slovenly school boy :)

Not as many birds around as yesterday - maybe because I was an hour later??

The cowslips on KP are looking wonderful

Wassand woodland walk

Wassand woodland walk

Sedge Warbler

Greenfinch looking splendid

Treecreeper with a tasty morsel of food

Mallard with the first duckling brood of the year

The two Great Spotted Woodpecker nests seem to be doing OK. I'm assuming they are on eggs as the birds are swapping over regularly.

Species List 47:
Great Crested Grebe
Mute Swan
White-fronted Goose, Greylag Goose+goslings, Canada Goose
Mallard+ducklings, Tufted Duck, Pochard
Sparrowhawk
Pheasant
Coot
Lapwing
Great-black Backed Gull, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull
Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon
Tawny Owl
Swift
House Martin
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Skylark
Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird
Song Thrush
Cetti's Warbler
Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler
Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat
Blackcap
Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler
Blue, Great Tit
Treecreeper
Jackdaw, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow
Starling, House Sparrow
Reed Bunting
Chaffinch
Greenfinch

Small White and Speckled Wood butterflies

Speckled Wood

Blue Damselfly

New Month New Regime (maybe)

OK I admit it, I've been a bit lax on updating this blog.

I originally planned to do it every day but then that got too onerous, so I changed to every other day, then to once a week and settled for "when I can be bothered".

Not good enough really is it? So I'm going to try once a day again.
HEALTH WARNING - this may not last long 😂😂😂😂

Wednesday 1 May 2019
local patch walk set off at 06:45
light SW breeze and 6 degrees C
9.7 miles
54 species

Highlights
first Swift of the year - 7 over the Mere
Barn Owl
Cuckoo calling
2 Pink-footed Goose still in crop field

Another wonderful day here in paradise (aka Hornsea) with shorts on and no worries about being too cold. No gloves in my pocket, no woolly hat either, just a warm shirt and jumper to keep out the early morning chill.

Barn Owl - distant as no cover to hide my bulky outline

Lesser Whitethroat singing - one of 6 this morning

Lesser Whitethroat pausing for breath

Lesser Whitethroat out of focus - may need a new camera

2 Pink-footed Goose still lingering with the Greylags

Common Whitethroat - 8 of them this morning on my walk

Common Whitethroat #2

Only managed 2 butterflies this morning - Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock

Species list 54:
Great Crested Grebe
Cormorant
Mute Swan
Pink-footed Goose, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose
Mallard, Tufted Duck
Marsh Harrier
Red-legged Partridge, Pheasant
Coot
Oystercatcher
Lapwing
Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull
Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove
Cuckoo
Barn Owl
Swift +
Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker
Skylark
Swallow
Pied Wagtail
Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird
Song Thrush
Cetti's Warbler
Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler
Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat
Blackcap
Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler
Coal, Blue, Great Tit
Treecreeper (2 calling)
Jackdaw, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow
Starling, House Sparrow
Yellowhammer
Reed Bunting
Chaffinch
Linnet