A Fine, dry morning at Hornsea

The weather was dry and sunny with only a slight breeze and chill in the air. A walk to Hornsea Mere and along the south side then? Certainly!

My first Tree Sparrow in the window feeder before I left boded well for the day and so it proved. A few Turnstones and Sanderlings along the beach were welcome additions to the usual Black-headed Gulls and Herring Gulls.

At the Mere 3 Grey Herons were fishing along the north side in the reeds and good numbers of Gadwall, Wigeon, Goldeneye and Pochard were showing well in the winter sunlight. A few Teal were dabbling in a new pond formed in a hollow by the recent heavy rain, watched by a local cat that was not about to get its feet wet by going after them. A nearby Mistle Thrush flew off, bored with the lack of action.

At Kirkholm Point there were 2 Egyptian Geese and a Pink Footed Goose mingled with the Greylags, seemingly posing as if to say " this is me compared to a Greylag"...

I spotted a Black-headed Gull with a leg ring so I took a few photos and reported the sighting to the guy in Denmark who is monitoring sightings and recoveries.

Up at the west end of the Mere a lone Buzzard gained height to soar away and 6 Whooper Swans flew over towards the Mere.

Turning back to return home, a pair of Bullfinch were calling and a Great Spotted Woodpecker was drumming. In the hedgerow 3 Yellowhammers were the first of the year for me and a welcome splash of colour.

I got home dry - a pleasant change after the last few weeks of rain.