26th September 2015

An early morning walk in very foggy conditions did not produce too much. Coinciding with high tide, a number of Curlew were on Melton Fields with their haunting call piercing the mist. A Chiffchaff was picking it's way through the bushes at the end of Brickyard Lane with a Bullfinch and the ever vocal Wrens.  The fog was two thick to see anything on the river, but nine Siskins flew in low and circled three times before choosing trees to their liking on the field edge.

On the common, Meadow Pipits were in evidence and a Yellow Wagtail was flushed from one of the puddles in the fog. A trio of Cetti's Warblers could be heard and a Great Spotted Woodpecker posed atop a dead tree. 

Back home, a Little Egret flew up river while a Long-Tailed Tit movement contained a Goldcrest and another Chiffchaff.

      Misted webs looked spectacular.

Icterine Warbler - Spurn September 2015

A trip to Spurn in easterly winds was fruitful despite the weather. Torrential rain meant that birding was a challenge to say the least but waders were the highlights of the early morning. A Black Stork, one of a few doing tours of the UK, had been present for while in the ditches at Sunk Island so I opted to stop on route but entirely failed to connect. A Wheatear and many Yellow Wagtails was some compensation as was a Yellow-Legged Gull.

Arriving at Spurn, the weather took a turn for the worse and the rain became torrential. Despite that, Avocet showed well on Kilnsea Wetlands as did a Little Stint. Beacon Ponds had a couple of Curlew Sandpiper and might have had more but the rain and exposed watchpoint resulted in a hasty retreat. The Holderness fields have been excellent this year, and this time a Spotted Redshank was keeping company with a number of Greenshank, as well as a dozen Black-Tailed Godwit. With the easterlies, it seemed promising for small birds, but in the end it was pretty quiet, the rain keeping birds at bay.

A break in the weather however, and the birds began to appear. The Red-Backed Shrike at Corner Field was being elusive (from me anyway) - but Cliff Farm was very lively. Lesser Whitethroat and plenty of Chiffchaffs were kept company by both Spotted and Pied Flycatcher, the latter definitely one of my favourite birds! Highlight however was an Icterine Warbler, which was very showy indeed. While favouring an elder by the wall of the house, it moved across to the conifer and showed exceptionally to the crowd that had braved the weather.

Icterine Warbler - Kilnsea, September 2015

Glossy Ibis - 2nd August 2015 - Brough Airfield

The 1st August 2015 saw us moving house from North Ferriby to Hessle. At 7pm I noticed a message from Erich Hediger saying that a Glossy Ibis had been found at Brough Airfield. Too busy to get there on the first, I kept my fingers crossed that it would still be there the following day.

My only previous Glossy Ibis had been a very confiding bird at Fairburn Ings in 1989. In recent times this bird has had irruption years where it looks set to colonise in the UK, following in the footsteps of the Little Egret. So far however, those irruption years are followed by years like 2015 where records are generally few and far between. So it was that at 5am the next morning I was up and out and walking along from Brickyard Lane, out past Welton Water and along to the airfield.

I was lucky, and the early start paid dividends. Admittedly the bird was not doing very much! Sleeping at the far side of the marsh, the purple and blue colours were evident, it really is an unmistakable bird! It is a shame that I didn't get to see it feeding in the shallows, and it did remain very distant. However, by ten o clock that morning it had departed leaving would be admirers later on the Sunday to be disappointed. Definitely the bird of the patch year so far.

Terrible record shots but it really was a fair distance away and having a snooze!

Patch birding - summer update!

It has been a long time since I last posted! Patchwork Challenge blogging has kept me busy along with work - but I am determined to pick this blog back up where is left off in May. It has been an eventful summer of sightings with some good quality birds along the way - and my patch list for the North Ferriby to Brough stretch has since hit 125 species.

Starting with the patch, the month of May ended with Yellow Wagtails on the paddocks at North Ferriby Walkway and a Wheatear at Brickyard Lane. There have only been two records of Wheatear in what was a very poor Spring with another in early June on Melton Fields. Marsh Harrier sightings became more frequent with singles at North Ferriby and Melton Fields, and a female at Brough Airfield and a young male, but neither seen at the same time.

The North Ferriby Walkway paddocks are perfect habitat for Yellow Wagtails on passage

Marsh Harriers have been a fairly regular sight at a number of areas of the patch

Warblers are always a feature of summer, and confiding Reed Warblers could be found at both Brickyard Lane and North Ferriby Walkway. Cetti's Warblers have continued their expansion of recent years, this year populating a number of sites north of the Humber. The area west of Brickyard Lane had three males on territory throughout the summer period, with all three still present at 24th September. Welton Water also had a number of singing males throughout. Their expansion must be one of the most rapid of recent times, their song being a real feature of this summer.

Another fine record was a Lesser Whitethroat carrying food in June on North Ferriby Walkway. Tucked away behind the hill in the same location as a pair of Whitethroats, at least three pairs of the latter bred. Blackcaps were equally evident, both Whitethroats and Blackcaps are not shy and both call loudly. The Whitethroat will perch in the open and proudly play its scratchy song, whereas the Blackcap is equally vocal but gives itself away with its clumsy approach, moving through bushes and ivy with no finesse whatsoever!

Waders have been largely disappointing in number. Common Sandpiper are the commonest with up to six present at the end of Brickyard Lane and further pairs at Welton Water and Hessle Foreshore. A Green Sandpiper has spent most of the last 6 weeks on the small pond west of Brickyard Lane, most often seen when flushed. Avocet's are common from South Ferriby on the south side of the river but rarely venture to the north side so a bird seen twice in a week in September at Brough Haven was a good record. A trio of Turnstone was good to see, these stunning birds should be much easier to see - but they don't often head to Ferriby and beyond, so this was just the second patch record of the year.

Common Sandpiper, Welton Water bobs constantly and has a white 'shoulder' - the best way to split from Green Sandpiper

Two of the three Turnstones at the end of Brickyard Lane in June

One of the best birds of the summer was also perhaps expected. From the beginning of July, the numbers of gulls increase. Whilst it has been disappointing not to add to the Mediterranean Gull earlier in the year, a Little Gull and Yellow-Legged Gulls were excellent birds on patch. The former was spotted at the end of Brickyard Lane accompanied by its larger Black-Headed cousins whilst the Yellow-Legged was spotted in the same place on the same day, and a further bird was seen at Hessle Foreshore in September.

Distant picture of the Little Gull on 9th July.

Perhaps less seasonal was the two Pink-Footed Geese that have spent most of the summer between Brickyard Lane and Welton Water. One with a clearly damaged wing, it is hard to know whether these are birds that have stayed on after the winter rather than return to their breeding grounds due to the wing damage, or escapes. Enough doubt not to count to my patch tally, but nice to watch all the same. 35 genuinely wild birds flew over Brough Airfield on the 20th September were my first of the autumn.

Normally a winter visitor, the wing damage on the far bird might have resulted in these birds staying in the UK for the summer

A move to Hessle Foreshore at the beginning of August has resulted in a number of records from the river. Numbers of Wigeon have been moving this month but with the autumn come small number of seabirds. Four juvenile Gannet were perhaps expected. Seabirds moving up the Humber often stop at the bridge, and these appeared to do just that and began to head back east before taking a run up and heading under the bridge and on up river past North Ferriby. I had thought that birds would choose to go above the bridge rather than below. Less expected was a Fulmar which spent a few minutes blogging back and forth before heading back east in this instance.

There were plenty more birds this summer, and autumn has brought movements of Siskins and a Redstart to Hessle Foreshore and a second record of Stonechat to Brickyard Lane. Also, the pool on the ground west of Brickyard Lane has been consistently good for Kingfisher with two there all the time.

I will update more often now - and keep this blog of local wildlife more in the now than 4 monthly summaries!

There was one bird that was extra special however, so that gets a post of it's own....

Knot a Bad Morning - 25th April 2015

A morning walk produced another addition to the patch year list. Whitethroats have returned to the hill on the Riverside Walkway. Three birds were scratching away in the bramble bushes around the hill - a perfect environment for the species so this was a much expected addition.

2 Pochard are still on the pond, and the Little Grebe has been joined by a partner which bodes well for potential breeding success. Blackcaps continue to make themselves obvious and Green Woodpecker also is not subtle in giving away it's position, but is more often seen than heard.

Following a morning walk around the Walkway - I then drove across to Brickyard Lane for a walk across the open ground there. Linnet's are in clear evidence and the area's potential for Warblers is very much coming to the fore with Cetti's, Reed and Willow Warblers along with Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Whitethroat all adding up to quiet an orchestra. Two Snipe were on the small pond there and another patch first was a Yellowhammer - giving away its prescence with the familiar 'a little bit of bread and no cheese' song.

There were a number of Meadow Pipits, and suspected Tree Pipit but views were to fleeting to confirm - so I will have to return to try to find out for sure.

Finally - the Humber foreshore was a hive of activity this morning just on from Brickyard Lane. 3 Curlew were very confiding as were the ever present Oystercatchers. A group of small waders was made up of the usual Dunlin and Ringed Plovers but with excellent counts of 35 and 16 respectively. Confirmation however that it is always worth checking was a Knot moulting into it's summer plumage. A grey bird in winter becomes a stunning bird in summer, with mottled wings and back combined with a beautiful red flush to it's front and belly - coining it's full name of Red Knot. A real halfway house of a bird - both the flush and winter grey were in evidence.

Common Scoter - North Ferriby

A walk with the dog after work proved well timed when a lone duck on the river off the Riverside Walkway proved to be a smart male Common Scoter. A number of birds have been seen at inland sites over the last month or so - maybe this was a bird returning to the north sea before heading off to Baltic breeding grounds.

The alarm bells always go off when a lone duck is on the river. Other ducks with the exception of Goldeneye tend to stay at the edges - so it immediately warranted a closer look. At about halfway out -it was pretty distant, but the distince neck shape, held straight from the body combined with the distinctive beak shape quickly identified the unusual visitor.

The Scoter followed a record of 4 Goosander earlier in the week, 3 males and a redhead. Just my second record on patch and my first for the walkway. Swallows have now arrived in numbers and Blackcaps are on the rise too. However, a few expected birds have yet to make an appearance such as Yellow Wagtail and Wheatear. Hopefully May will produce the goods.

Birding Sunday - 19th April 2015

This Sunday presented the opportunity to make a first foray of the year to the coast. After a little half-hearted debate, Spurn won out as it often does.

A cold north easterly put paid to much migration movement. First stop was the North Ferriby walkway in hope of a Ring Ouzel or Yellow Wagtail on the horse paddocks. A fairly quiet morning, the Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps continue to be vocal while the number of Swallows had increased with 7 hawking around the Humber bank.

Male Blackcap skulking amidst the blossom

The next move was to head straight to Spurn. A Peregrine just outside Patrington was a great start before reaching Sammy's Point which is my traditional place to start, and it was clear pretty quickly that there was limited movement of small birds. Two Great Tits and a few Linnets was the sum total of the first 3 paddocks before reaching the paddock furthest East. A number of Redshank and Oystercatcher were on the Humber as the tide reached its highest - and the familiar call of a Whimbrel quickly put me onto a bird as it lifted from the flats and headed inland overhead.

You'll have to trust me - it's a Whimbrel!

The field itself was pretty quiet. Again Blackcap and Chiffchaff made their prescence known but no sign of the Redstart which has been present for the previous few days. On the walk back to the car a couple of Yellow Wagtails flew overhead, my first for the year. Reaching the paddock by the car park, 2 Pied Wagtail, 1 White Wagtail and 2 Yellow Wagtail were all present, the latter a male and female but no sign of the Flavissima from the previous day.

Stunning male Yellow Wagtail. The colour of summer.

Moving on to the Wetlands - the Avocets have returned with 6 birds there this morning. A Little Egret threatened to land but then moved over the bank towards Beacon Ponds. The pools with the most activity were those on the Holderness fields where the female Garganey has found the first pool to it's liking whilst a trio of Greenshank shared the space with a Redshank a couple of Dunlin and a pair of Avocets.

Female Garganey - Spurn 19th April 2015

My first Greenshank of the year along with Redshank, Dunlin and Avocet, Spurn 19th April

The rest of the walk was pretty quiet. A rest in the hide at Canal Scrape provided an opportunity to get out of the wind and watch a pair of Little Egrets displaying - one of which had a very impressive plume. 

Little Egret - Spurn 19th April

I decided to head back to patch early afternoon, but the journey was to turn up the bird of the day. A superb adult almost pure white Iceland Gull flew low over the road by the Port of Hull building on the east side of Hull. The bird flew low ahead before banking around giving great views. The size and lack of heaviness around the head and build quickly eliminated Glaucous - a real unexpected treat which I wish I could have appreciated more - but the traffic would not have appreciated me stopping!

Finally I finished up back on patch - with a walk from Brough Haven to Welton Water. Sedge Warblers were in three seperate locations along the Humber Bank. There are now two female Marsh Harriers on the airfield marsh - but sailing is now well under way on Welton Water - so there was nothing to be seen there today. The best birds were on route back, whilst listening to a Sedge Warbler a Grasshopper Warbler began reeling from the ditch by the Humber Bank between the fishing pools and the sump. Just as I was taking in this wonderful sound, a Swan flew low across the field and headed off towards Welton. A closer look revealed the thick yellow wedge of a Whooper Swan - a lone bird trailing the rest of its group who headed off to breeding grounds a couple of weeks ago.

Whooper Swan - an unexpected late bird at Brough Airfield, 19th April

Spring Arrives in North Ferriby

April is always an interesting month - with a blend of both seasons. It has been slow to take off this year, with colder weather keeping migrants at bay. Indeed, there has been a significant gap this year between arrival of migrants in the south and the north - with a good couple of weeks between arrivals on the south coast and here in Yorkshire.

But arrive they have. After Chiffchaffs were the first to arrive and a single Blackcap was possibly a bird that had wintered in the UK - there was a break in the action. The reed pond has held increasing waterfowl with Teal, Pochard and Gadwall all regular. The Gadwall quickly moved to the river where they still are to date. Water Rail still eludes me visually, but I have heard it three times now, all seemingly from the same part of the pool.

This Gadwall pair have taken up residence on the Humber at North Ferriby

Chiffchaff singing at Welton Water

A Little Grebe has returned - and whilst elusive at times feeds out in the open from time to time. It is still on its own at the moment, so it will be interesting to see if a partner comes to join it in the coming weeks.

Little Grebe - typically elusive

A Goldcrest is frequent around the Reed Pool and there are now two Green Woodpeckers at the far end of the Walkway. A Buzzard flew east along the Humber early on the 16th April while certainly the raptor highlight was a Marsh Harrier which spent 10 minutes on the evening of the 9th hunting over the Ings field before departing towards Hessle.

Marsh Harrier in fading light over the Ings field

Hovering over the Ings Field before heading towards Hessle

In a normal year, Hirundine arrival is Sand Martin first, then Swallow, House Martin and finally Swift last to arrive. This year migration has been on it's head - so the first was a House Martin on the 13th April followed by the first Swallows on the 14th April. The first Sand Martins were over the open ground near Melton (which i will call Brickyard Lane for the purposes of this blog) on the 18th April. All hirundines are still in short supply but I think the floodgates are about to open.

Willow Warbler made a welcome return on the 12th April with a single singing at Welton Water on the same day as my first patch Kingfisher. Birds are now in on the Walkway as well as Brickyard Lane. Reed Warbler and Sedge Warbler have also made their first showing on the 18th, the former at Brickyard Lane and the latter at Welton Water.

The first Sedge Warbler of the year at Welton Water - 18th April

Finally - a trip to the other side of the river produced a Cetti's Warbler. A new bird in the north, it's recent expansion has been pretty epic with each year seeing a movement further to the north. There are a number of singing birds on the south bank now and after reports of singing birds on the north side too, it has been a pleasure to hear my first on patch at Brickyard Lane on the 17th April. A walk the following morning then produced 5 singing birds - each with their easily recognised bursts of song. These are elusive birds however, so I have had to make so with just a flight view so far!

22nd March 2015 - North Ferriby Walkway and Welton Water

Highlights of a walk today were two Chiffchaff which are becoming a regular feature now. The high tide pushed a group of Dunlin and a Ringed Plover onto the rocks at the foreshore which presented a good chance to take a few photos - as did the Greylag at Welton Water which captured the light perfectly.

15th March 2015 - Hessle Foreshore

A morning walk around Hessle Foreshore in good weather produced the expected birds. Great Spotted Woodpeckers were audible in the country park as were the Bullfinches which were back and forth at the feeding station. I took the chance to photograph some of the commoner but perhaps more under-rated residents.

The Greatest of the Tits?

The foreshore itself produced a pair of Shelduck as well as Redshank and Curlew which were particularly confiding at the inlet. The thick mud at the inlet was evident as covered any evidence of the red shanks and the Curlew sank into the mud.

Redshank - Hessle - 15th March 2015

Curlew - Hessle - 15th March 2015

The field between Hessle and North Ferriby which I have called the Buzzard field lived up to its name as two took to the air as we approached. This pair seem to be sharing territory with a pair of Carrion Crows which looked to be a fairly tempestuous relationship when we were there!

One of  a pair of Buzzards at the 'Buzzard field'

17th March 2015 - Chiffchaff on the Walkway

Scans of the bird services revealed Sand Martin, Wheatear and Chiffchaff were filtering into the country. Despite the presence of half a dozen birds at Barton on the south side of the river, I had not managed a Chiffchaff on 16th March. By the next day however a single bird had made it across to the Walkway, flitting in and out of the trees by the pond.

This is usually the first avian sentinel of Spring, and although I will have to wait for a calling bird it is a wonderful feeling watching that first Warbler arrive - it is a just a shame that the weather that followed its arrival was not so warming!

First sign of Spring!

The pond has been lively of late with Greylag settling in and Teal a regular feature. A Pochard on the 8th March was soon joined by another male and female, with all three present on the 17th.

Male Pochard on the pond at North Ferriby

7th March 2015 - Whooper Swans at North Ferriby

A walk at low tide at North Ferriby brought a nice surprise with a trio of Whooper Swans on the sandbar in the middle of the river. There has been a movement of both Whoopers and Pinkfeet on the coast, so I had hoped that perhaps one or the other might overfly the patch.

I had not expected to see them on the deck however. The timing of my walk was very fortunate as just half an hour later the rising tide had covered the sand bar and the Swans made their way up river.

Whooper Swans - North Ferriby - 07/03/2015

Whooper Swans - North Ferriby - 7th March 2015

3rd March 2015 - North Ferriby Station

A Green Woodpecker this morning was very vocal in the trees behind the house. I listened to it heartily laughing until my train arrived. Well timed given the picture which went viral last night of a Weasel catching a lift on the back of a Green Woodpecker, a photo more reminiscent of Bagpuss than reality!

The accompanying photos dispel the suspicion surrounding the pictures which was certainly a once in a lifetime shot.

My bird this morning sounded far too happy to be in such a precarious situation - but was my second record of the year after one on the Walkway in January.

28th February 2015 - Welton Water

My last day off work, I went for an afternoon walk around Welton Water in awful conditions. The wind was blowing with a nasty northerly edge and at time the rain was slashing down. The water was even quieter than usual with the Tufted Duck, Goldeneye and Gadwall present as per previous visits, with numbers of the latter back up at 26.

There were plenty of Gulls on the river, but trying to get any view of the river was a challenge as the exposed bank was not the most clement place to be! The most activity was on the field at the back of the sailing club which if it remains in its current condition should be very productive over the year. At present it is plenty of turned mud and corn stalks with channels and lying water which is proving very popular with a number of different bird families. Perhaps the most obvious are the Greylag flock of 34 bird - which give themselves away with their squabbling. The presences of Bean Geese on the south bank raised my hopes, but the resident flock had no visitors on this occasion. Redwing and Fieldfare were present on the fields, the latter more visible than the former which were not easy to pick out until they moved. A couple of Meadow Pipits were a more delicate addition, and as the afternoon wore on Pied Wagtail numbers increased as more than 30 birds flew in to roost from Brough.

Curlews stalked amongst the mud picking off titbits and Carrion Crows and Jackdaws were present in small numbers. Perhaps least likely was a Little Egret which took off as I approached and was later roosting in the trees on the island.

The other bird on the field were two rather confiding Stock Doves, a bird that is not always the easiest to see. Woodpigeons to Stock Doves are what Herring Gulls are to Common Gulls, with the latter being the softer, better looking and more subtle cousin.

Stock Doves

Roe Deer are becoming a regular site in the countryside these days and the airfield and the fields behind Welton Water are pretty reliable as they make their way nervously across the open space.

Roe Deer show nerves as they cross the open space.

26th February 2015 - A63

Setting off on the journey south, a Merlin was a surprise sighting perched on a signpost for Goole on the M62. None all year and then two in as many days.

27th February 2015 - Langold Lake

On a trip to see family in North Notts, there was time for a walk around Langold Lake before the bad weather set in. A pleasant morning with some sunshine the wind had a cold northerly edge.

Main birds of note were the 7 pairs of Great Crested Grebes here. I am not sure why the lake holds so much appeal for do many of this species but it really does seem to be something of a GCG magnet.  They were beginning to display, one pair in particular rehearsing their moves with occasional brief demonstrations of the courtship rituals.

A Buzzard glided over the car park as we left, a bird which is getting more of a foothold in the area with each passing year.

Otherwise fairly quiet on the lake for variety, although the Canada's and Gulls made enough sounds to fill the void!

I used to do the Webs count at Langold Lake. A great site for Great Crested Grebe.

The garden feeders at my parents house were a hive of activity as usual. A bright Nuthatch was a visually appealing visitor whilst the Woodpigeons were clearly enjoying an ivy berry feast with a dozen of these portly diners clinging precariously to the branches with wings spread for balance. Frequently losing balance their already spread wings instantly countered their fall like clumsy avian base jumpers.

25th February - Brough Haven to Welton Water

After a good week off work, I had enjoyed a good number of walks around the patch without adding much of note for Patchwork Challenge. As opposed to the day before, which was blustery with choppy waters, the Humber was like a mirror as just a gentle breeze barely raised a ripple.

This kind of surface makes birding easier, with any bird on the surface standing out. Wigeon numbers were up with over 50 in the bay that can be viewed from the Haven car park. They outnumbered Teal for the first time since I have been watching the birds here.

The Shelduck are established now, with the male actively wooing the female on the exposed mud. A further pair were in the bay - but it is the this pair for which I have an affection as they were the first to return earlier in February.

I will watch this amorous couple over the summer to see if they are successful

Welton Water was quiet once again with nothing new to note. It was Brough Airfield that provided the best of the action when a Merlin came into view chasing a Snipe. A very even match, these two diminutive aerial acrobats were very evenly matched with the chase continuing right across the marsh and back before the chaser began to lose ground. Victory for the Snipe. So intriguing was the battle, that a Marsh Harrier flapping through the same view was given little regard.

Walking back to the car park, two Little Egrets flapped gently downriver. Approximately 2/3 of the way out, there was a short window of opportunity for a quick record short before they disappeared from view. I think they will be a regular sight through the year, particularly in late summer.

A distant record shot of a bird that I expect to be a regular over the coming year

24th February 2015 - North Ferriby to Welton Water

Shamefully this was a walk to Brough which was abandoned at Welton Water. The start of the walk was around the North Ferriby Walkway, primarily in the hope that a Turnstone would be present on the rocky defences. With it being high tide, I felt that my chances were high but once again, the rocks supplied just a couple of Mallard. A strong westerly wind meant that the birds had largely hit the deck (perhaps a sensible option!). There is not much shelter on the river side in these conditions, and my walk was to take me into the wind all the way.

Often quite confiding, the Bullfinch pair this morning was rather flighty

The woodland was perhaps more lively, with finch flocks containing Greenfinch and Chaffinch accompanied by a Goldcrest and a pair of Bullfinch. The high tide means that the shoreline walk to Brough is impassable at the North Ferriby end, so requires a long walk through the village and back down through the wood. Song Thrush was the only bird of note in the woodland as the wind put paid to much activity. I walked the field edge and flushed Redwing and a Mistle Thrush as well as a number of Carrion Crows. The Gull flock here was particularly impressive with at least 500 Common Gulls and a lesser number of Black-Headed. My mission for a Med Gull continues as 20 minutes scouring the ever-moving group proved unsuccessful.

Finally reaching the river the tide was already beginning to recede. The walk across the field edge was very exposed and I got quite a buffeting although the flock of Goldfinch here seemed to be enjoying themselves! The shore now had a few waders, with the usual Redshank and Dunlin accompanied by 4 Ringed Plover (still no Turnstone)! The Ringed Plover blend so well into their stony background that only when they move do they become evident.

Ringed Plover is a common sight on the exposed mud - at least when they move!

The remainder of the walk was exceptionally quiet, with little of note. Welton Water was also quiet with no evidence of the numbers of Gadwall present earlier in the week. 26 Tufted for once outnumbered the Goldeneye of which there were 16. A Little Grebe kept sensibly against the reeds on the far side rather than brave the choppy waters.

At this point I took up the option of a lift so made to the rail crossing. A Reed Bunting gave away its presence with its monotonous call as did a couple of Gadwall tucked away on the small entrance pool. The fields on the way to the crossing were perhaps the liveliest area. Singing Skylark were a very welcome sound as they rose high above the grouped Curlew picking their way through the rough and furrowed field. They were joined by a number of Fieldfare, hard to count in the muddy field but into double figures at best count.

A nice walk along the patch but perhaps the birds took the best option today.

23rd February 2015 - Hornsea Mere

A week off means a trip to the sea! Having lived a good 2 hours from the coast for the last 10 years, living within half an hour is quite a novelty. It will be exciting times in the Spring and Autumn when I can easily get to the coast for a mornings birding.

So this was the first trip. I have not been to Hornsea since I was very young, so it was quite a trip down memory lane but it strikes me that little has changed! A cold north westerly ensured that hands remained in pockets and a hot chocolate was arguably the days highlight.

There is something quite captivating about a seaside town in winter though. Maybe Hornsea is a little less melancholy that most, but the deserted arcades and quiet windswept fronts looking hopefully out upon an iron coloured sea definitely evokes a range of emotions. I think perhaps I prefer it in winter to the summer hoardes but I am sure that the local business would disagree.

Despite working the groups of gull, nothing unusual could be revealed. Highlights on the promenade were a few Gannet flying north offshore and a Sanderling which abandoned the wave chasing in order to run up and down the promenade, taking a close up look at our bench where we selfishly opted not to share our chips, despite the clear intentions of the local Black-Headed Gulls.

We also popped to Kirkholme Point at the Mere but it was generally quiet with just a few Goldeneye, Tufted Duck and a Little Grebe. The highlight here was a pair of Oystercatcher, common enough but always a welcome sight and another sign that Spring is on the way.