A weekend's birding at Hornsea Mere

Well that was a great weekend down at The Mere!!

Although we had Easterly winds for the latter part of the week, the weather was dry so wasn't just good enough to bring in any migrants. However, we had rain on Saturday so a walk around the local patch would be worthwhile.

Saturday 12 September 2015
It was pouring with rain in the early morning so I reckoned it would be useful to check out Kirkholme Point to see if anything had dropped in. I left the camera at home as it was just too wet to risk a non-waterproof camera getting ruined.

I was greeted by a male Sparrowhawk hunting for his breakfast, great start to the morning. We had 2 Little Gulls on the jetty and 4 more feeding over the water at the North side of the point. Checking out the water line there was a Common Sandpiper still hanging on and a Dunlin still showing signs of breeding plumage, but the best was a Knot feeding along the water's edge. We don't get many Knot at The Mere so I was well pleased with this sighting. Several Pied Wagtails were flitting around as were 2 Yellow Wagtails. The usual flock of Goldfinch were feeding on the rapidly disappearing thistle heads.

I left KP and walked round to the fields to check them out, hoping for Redstart or Wheatear perhaps?

In the 1st field there were another 6 Yellow Wagtails and a host of Swallows feeding up for their long journey south. Looking our over The Mere I saw the usual suspects, but in greater numbers now as Autumn beckons. Gadwall were up to c.200, Tufted Ducks were numerous but estimated at c.450, Coot are the most common and are probably over the 1,000 mark now. Pochard and Wigeon are also slowly building in numbers. A nice looking juvenile Great Crested Grebe was close in by the reed bed. Mute Swans are here of course with around 100+.

Nothing else of note so I headed home but on my way past some tall conifers I heard Goldcrests. I stopped and watched and spotted at least 4 flying in and out of the conifers.

Sunday 13 September 2015
A dry and very still morning so another opportunity to check out what Hornsea Mere had in store.

On my way out of the house I saw the local House Martins were still flying around and visiting nests for some strange reason. I must ask about this behaviour to see if anyone can cast any light on it.

Down at KP there was a strange lack of hirundines. Not enough wind? Don't know, but I only saw 2 Swallows all morning! 2 Yellow Wagtails and 7 Pied Wagtails plus 3 Little Gulls on the jetty was all that KP had to offer this morning.

2 Little Gulls on the jetty

I hurried round to the fields, intending to walk over to the hide and met a friend (Mike) on the way who said he'd come with me. He gave me a lift to the fields which was a bonus :)

Entering 1st field we checked for anything new that may have dropped in, but the first half hour of our walk was barren. Nothing of note in the fields or on the water until - yes, a female Goldeneye - the first of the autumn/winter and a sign of things to come. We walked through 2nd field with again nothing to catch our attention, so Mike said he'd go back for the car and meet me in the hide. I continued my walk.

Going into the next field I passed the large reed bed and saw a few Reed Buntings, checked out Ouzel Hedge but nothing there apart from a few Goldfinch. Approaching the stile in the corner I saw several birds flying around the elderberry bushes so I stopped and watched for half an hour and was glad I did. As well as the Blue Tits, Great Tits, Dunnocks and Robins I saw 2 Whitethroat, a Garden Warbler and an immature Reed Warbler. A good haul for mid-September!

Young Reed Warbler

 While watching the birds in the hedgerow there were a few butterflies around too. Red Admiral, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and Large White were on the flowers in the area of set-aside.

 

Realising I'd said that I'd meet Mike in the hide I hurried on. Time passes so quickly when you're engrossed :)

A good sized group of Long-tailed Tits were calling away in the pines as I walked down the path towards the hide, and the sun was shining brightly so it boded well for an hour or so in the hide.

On entering the hide Mike was there as expected, and also George. After exchanging pleasantries we settled down to watch the comings and goings and George said he'd seen Hobby before we arrived, so we hoped they would return. 3 Grey Heron were fishing in the corner and a light coloured object in a willow caught my eye so I asked if Mike could check it out with his scope. Turned out to be a young male Marsh Harrier, George reckoned probably 2 calendar year.

 Lots of Tufted Duck and Coot were flying and swimming in, accompanied by Great Crested Grebes (9 birds by the end of the watch) so we knew that sailing boats were now out on The Mere as they drive the birds into Decoy where the hide is.

Then the much anticipated happened - Hobby!!! 2 young birds were seen around the hide for 10 minutes or so giving great views and catching the many dragonflies that were innocently feeding and egg-laying.

My best photos yet of Hobby, and although they weren't full adults with the red patches around the legs, they were fantastic to watch as they caught insects and eat them on the wing.

Here are photos of a couple of their possible prey items:

Southern Migrant Hawker (I think)

Common Darters ovipositing

Before George and Mike left, George spotted lots of raptors high up over the west - he counted 10 Common Buzzard, although I could only see 6 from my vantage point.

I hung on for a while to see if anything else turned up but it didn't so I headed home. Along Southorpe Road there were more dragonflies and butterflies and I added Speckled Wood to the day's tally.