Close Encounters of the Yaffling Kind

March to date - 67 miles
Year to date - 566 miles

Another beautiful morning here on the East Coast of Yorkshire and another lockdown day. Although a warm morning was promised it was still cool when I set off so no shorts yet!

The usual suspects were out and about with a couple of Brown Hares in the fields and several Roe Deer watching me as I walked by.

doe, a deer, a female deer

...or maybe that should be roe, a deer, a female deer.

Plenty of warbler action in the reeds, trees and shrubs now. Sedge and Willow joined the resident Cetti's in a lovely chorus with solos by Skylark and Yellowhammer.

I have a new addition to my gear to try out today which is a combination rucksack and seat. I've known about them for a while but just recently I have been getting a bit tired on my walks and there's never a seat when you want one - so I'll take my own.

My location of choice was a place where I've seen Green Woodpecker before so on my way back from the exercise walk I decided to stake out its favoured tree. Of course, wildlife does what it wants, not what you want so after a while of watching and listening to Blackcaps, Wrens, Chiffchaffs, Stock Doves, Blackbirds, Chaffinches, Robins and Great Spotted Woodpeckers it seemed high time a Green Pecker turned up. Then it did, but not on the mature tree I was watching. It landed on a sapling about 20 yards behind me. I turned round and the sun was in my eyes so the bird was backlit. Not ideal. It called three times before it flew off giving me a bit of time to get some photos.

The Green Woodpecker's call is called a yaffle which is also an old English name for the bird.

It was a marvelous experience to hear the call so close, and to see a Green Woodpecker so clearly too.

The bluebells are out in the woods and hedgerows and there was a small patch lit by the sun through the trees.

On the way back I got a long distance shot of a couple of Brown Hares - I'll get a close up one of these days to match those I've taken in the Wolds in the past.

2 Brown Hares by the Mere today

Brown Hare at Nunburnholme in 2016

Brown Hare at Nunburnholme in 2016

The seat worked as designed so I can now have a rest where and when I want 😀

Summer migrants arriving

This is more like it!

Sunny mornings (although we had a fair old frost this morning) and very little breeze early on so off I trot on my daily exercise. Before COVID-19 this would have been a daily walk but now it's exercise 🙄

There are very few people about at 06:15 in the morning which is wonderful for me and the wildlife. You get to see so much more before the hustle and bustle of our daily lives gets underway.

The Mere was looking beautiful this morning as it had a thin film of mist covering it, making the water seem milky in places. There wasn't a ripple on the water's surface either which is pretty rare for the Mere.

Jon had already told me that there was a Great White Egret on the north side and I could see it as I walked through first field but it was distant. Hopefully a bit better views awaited further on.

Four Roe Deer were munching away in Snipe Grounds and melted into the tall reeds as they heard me approaching.

1 of 4 Roe Deer, the others had better hearing than this one

On the edge of the wood a Great Spotted Woodpecker was looking for food and seemingly flound some too.

GSW on the look out for food

I heard a Willow Warbler singing in the wood but didn't see it, while one of many Chiffchaffs was singing and feeding away.

Chiffchaff

Chiffchaff with twig in the way. This was a theme today :(

Walking back home I heard the Green Woodpecker calling again so I looked for it and got it quite easily. The male this time, yaffling loudly. The photo has been heavily cropped as the bird was about 200 yards away.

male Green Woodpecker

There were so many birds about this morning that I'd be going on for ages if I recounted each one. Although I worry about how few birds we have left in our countryside, when you're out on a morning like this with so many species shouting for attention, it really lifts your spirit.

male Chaffinch

Skylark up and singing

Cormorant in breeding plumage

Linnet looking for a likely mate

The best was yet to come me. Although I'd heard Willow Warbler in the wood I didn't manage to see it but as I approached Heslop's I could hear one singing. It appeared right above my head and continued singing and feeding for ages. As I walked off I heard a few more further towards the Mere.

The year's first Willow Warbler

I did have better views of the Great White Egret as I'd hoped, but the photos don't really do it justice. Record shots but as it was my first of the year I'll take it.

Great White Egret on the Mere north side

Green Woodpecker

All the watching and waiting has been worthwhile - this morning I managed to get decent photos of a Green Woodpecker at The Mere. I've had near misses in the past but this morning I heard a male yaffling and stood where I hoped a bird may appear.

Lo and behold a female flew in and landed on a nearby tree and listened for a while to the male. She obviously wasn't impressed because she flew off after a minute or so, but away from the male not towards him. Perhaps this was a ploy and she was just toying with him?

CLICK ON PHOTOS FOR A LARGER IMAGE

Female Green Woodpecker

Meanwhile, in other news, a Kestrel landed on the owl box used by Stock Doves and Barn Owls last year. It evicted the Stock Doves that were there and had a good look inside. It was still in there when I left.

Kestrel lands on the nest box

A Stock Dove leaves the scene

The Kestrel enters...

I met Jon on my way back and we had a brief chat - from a safe distance of course. A pair of Mute Swans flew over us. One of them helpfully bent its wing so I could get it in the photo.

Mute Swan being helpful

After I left Jon, a Marsh Harrier came over. It was like the M62 round there this morning 😂

cream crown Marsh Harrier

Then I watched a Reed Bunting singing away, probably bragging about his new yellow plumage addition. I can only think it had been feeding and pollen had transferred onto its face.

Reed Bunting with face paint

Another cracking lockdown exercise walk around my local patch. I wonder what tomrrow will bring?

Locked Down, Locked In or Locked Up

Another beautiful morning here on the East Coast of God's own county. Out early again and it was well worth it with Wheatear, Whooper Swans, Pink-footed Geese and everything singing at once.

First thing I saw (apart from the usual of course) was a stunning Wheatear flying off a fence post onto the ground and hopping onto a molehill. It didn't stay long and decided the grassy slopes were more to its liking.

Wheatear, my first of the year

Wheatear showing why its name is derived from white arse

Off along the path to see what other delights await, past the singing Skylarks, Reed Buntings, Cetti's Warblers and the constant background noise of wood pigeons, crows, blackbirds, magpies and distant rooks.

A skein of about 80 Pink-footed Geese flew north over the Mere and were soon out of sight behind the trees.

Pink foots off to cooler climes

On to the woodland fringes and Chiffchaffs were singing away, they come down to the under storey every now and then when it's easier to get photos but the birds stayed up in the canopy this morning.

Chiffchaff

Same Chiffchaff, different tree, different light

I sat down for a while and waited to see what would come along - this isn't an easy thing for me to do as I'm a restless soul and always want to be off and walking. Lovely close views of several birds as they went about their lives.

Blue Tit

Robin

Chaffinch

Great Tit

Great Spotted Woodpeckers were drumming and calling among the general cacophony of bird song, with Stock Dove standing out as clearly as any other song. This is a brilliant time of year and exciting too as I look forward the arrival of more of the summer visitors - avian that is, not the knob heads who decide that the seaside is an appropriate destination for a day out when they should be staying in or going out locally.

Common Buzzards were soaring and Marsh Harriers were making themselves heard too as the sun warmed everything up. I was hoping for a Brimstone butterfly this morning but I was disappointed.

On my way back for breakfast part two I saw a couple of Yellowhammers in the hedgerow. I'd heard them earlier but missed seeing them. Their song is probably the first bird song I learned phonetically - a little bit of bread and no cheeeeese.

Yellowhammer, a bit too much back-light

Yellowhammer

 The few people I met on the way home were all friendly and accomodating when it came to ensuring we kept a good distance apart. I really don't know how folk go on in cities and large towns. When I meet someone we manage to pass each other on the opposite side of the road or at least go into the road to keep a safe distance between us. Traffic is light around here so it's quite safe as long as you check for cars and bikes first.

Keep well everyone.