Hornsea catch up and Egyptian Goose

Here's a few pics from the hedgerows over the last few days:

Meadow Pipit -

 Reed Bunting -

 Sedge Warbler -

...and the Egyptian Goose at the Mere on Sunday -

A visit to Bempton Cliffs

Called in at Bempton to see if we could catch sight of the Corn Buntings but no luck once more. Took a few pics while there; Gannet first of all -

 Kittiwake -

 Whitethroat -

Cuckoos at Hornsea

2 Cuckoos calling this morning on South Cliff. One was being mobbed by a Mipit:

It eventually flew off towards the coast and flew over the other bird before heading off towards Mappleton.

Also present:
4 Sedge Warbler
2 Reed Bunting
Kestrel
c. 35 Sand Martin

Langfield this morning

Any ideas what this bird is?

It's a Twite, also known as the Pennine Finch, so it is appropriate that this photo was taken in the Pennines just a couple of miles from my house where we used to get them in the garden feeding on dandelion seeds. Things have changed drastically since those days and we're lucky to get a few breeding pairs here now.
Here is a more usual view of the same bird once it had finished shaking its head.

Also seen this morning at Langfield/Gaddings Dam were:

Grasshopper Warbler - 2, reeling
Reed Bunting - 5
Common Sandpiper - 2
Black-headed Gull - 2
Skylark - 9
Meadow Pipit - 6
Stonechat - 1
Linnet - 4

Common Sandpipers at Gaddings Dam

Hornsea

Took a long walk around Hornsea places of interest (to me anyway lol) last Sunday morning and had a brilliant morning. As I opened the door I heard a Cuckoo calling so that was just the start I needed.

A Grasshopper Warbler was next, reeling away on the cliff top and I even managed to get my first pic ever of the elusive Gropper -

Whitethroats are back in numbers now and so were Swifts over the Mere - an estimated 700 or so I'm told. Counted 7 Reed Buntings singing along the path from Wassand past the Mere.

A couple of Sedge Warbler were also singing but I didn't hear any Reed Warblers.

Marsh Harrier just topped everything else!!!!

I'll have to sort out a means of posting my sightings in reasonable time in the near future...

Spurn

Went over to Spurn with my mate Robert at the weekend and had a good day, not great as we didn't see anything particularly special, but plenty of good birds about.

Brent Goose, Grey Plover in summer plumage, plenty of Ringed Plover, Short-eared owl, Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Linnet, Swallow (no Red-rumped!) and good views of Cuckoo as well but the photo I got was at a distance so the cropping has affected it.

Saw a Common Lizard down there as well which is the first one I've seen for a while.

Strait Hey - Roe Deer, Wheatear and Curlew

A walk over Strait Hey to Swillington and back home via London Road this morning in the fine weather. It's a bit warmer today so wooly hat and gloves are packed away again...

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was drumming down in Stoodley Clough and a Starling was giving a very passable immitation of a Song Thrush. Over in Strait Hey Willow Warblers (5) were singing away and there were Blackbirds aplenty. A a Roe Deer was grazing among the hawthorns:

3 Lesser Redpoll were a nice sight feeding in the hawthorns too, as I haven't seen them here before. They seem to extending their range locally as I've now seen them east and west of our house this year.

Curlews were up and singing, with 3 of them looking to be having a territorial dispute on Erringden:

At Swillington a pair of Wheatear gave good views and a Lapwing was another surprise as I haven't seen one here for several years.

Local Patch

A quick stretch of the legs this afternoon following a hard day's work in the garden, but only around one of my 3 local routes.

The Little Owl is still around despite the barn where it is usually seen having its front blown off (it was only supposed to blow the bloody doors off) in the strong winds the other day -

The Little Grebes are hanging around despite their nest and 4 eggs being washed away in the torrential rain last week. Maybe they'll try again.

Willow Warblers were singing away, 3 of them, and a Grey Wagtail was bathing on the small spit of land that is still above water level. 2 Swallows were feeding over the water and on the way home.....a House Martin at last!!! Although I've seen several House Martins this year, the one I saw flying around our house is the first one of the year up here. They usually return about mid-April but this is the first year they haven't been seen before the end of April. Worrying times.