Hornsea Mere Monday 6 May

A great morning for a walk so off I went round the Mere to see what was about.

Sedge Warblers were singing everywhere it seemed and I counted 17 individuals on my way on the south side of the Mere. Fabulous little birds and each one has a slightly different variation on the same song.

I heard my first Cuckoo of the year but the song was coming from over the north side so I didn't chase off to try and catch sight of it!

The only other notable bird was a Lesser Whitethroat being its usual elusive self and only providing brief glimpses, but I was able to get reasonable views, enough to give a positive id.

Other birds:
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 3
Whitethroat - 6
Chiffchaff - 9
Willow Warbler - 5
Blackcap - 1
Linnet - c.15
Tree Sparrow - 2
Long-tailed Tit - 5

BBS at Blackshaw Head

Time for my early Breeding Bird Survey visit today. I've delayed it by over a week to allow for the late start to Spring hereabouts but even so I'm still a little concerned that things may not be as far along as I'd like. I now have two BBS squares to cover as the BTO changed their stance a few years ago in that usually squares are allocated randomly, but for relatively remote squares which entail a fair walk to start off they said that adjoining squares could also be covered. This has two advantages - a) they get more squares covered and b) surveyors can use their time more efficiently. So I now cover a square immediately south of the one I've been doing for 20 years - double enjoyment!

An early start meant that although the sun was shining, there was a distinct nip in the air, so I put on my liner gloves to ensure I could write when I needed to. Of course once I'd done the easy bit of my 3 mile walk to start the first square and started going back uphill, things got a bit warmer so the gloves came off pretty sharpish.

A trio of Roe Deer were in the woods and moved off at a pace when I approached. Getting a good view of them through the trees and branches was not easy and the best I could do was this photo as they paused to ensure I was indeed still coming towards them:

 Half a mile further up and out of the woods into the fields and farmland, a buck ran off through the field. It stood and watched me for a second or two then ran off barking.

Birds were singing all round and a Blackbird with a particularly full beak of nesting material was an amusing sight -

 Looking backwards over the valley towards home, Stoodley Pike was looking splendid in the morning sun -

Willow Warblers are usually here in good numbers so it was pleasing to hear them singing and it seemed my fears that Spring still hadn't arrived were unfounded.

Willow Warbler

Willow Warbler (same bird)

Down into the clough still accompanied by Willow Warbler song along with a few Dunnocks and Great Tits and I hoped to see a Dipper on the stream. The water level is very much down on usual levels but there is still a strong flow so no worries about a drought, as if that would be a worry after the 12 months we've just endured with almost constant heavy rainfall that left the ground saturated, and it still is pretty heavy underfoot but it is recovering now and drying out gradually.

Up the other side of the clough and I left the first half of my first square behind and started the first leg of my original square still in bright sunshine and rising temperatures. A cool breeze was blowing though to remind me that I was still in West Yorkshire and not in the hills of a Mediterranean country.

Meadow Pipits started appearing on cue and a nice find was a Wheatear. This is only my second record of Wheatear in this square so I was well pleased with that.

Wheatear

Wheatear (same bird as above)

I could hear Red Grouse with their "goback goback" calls from the moor just to the south west of me and a Curlew was also singing over there. The song of the Curlew on a sunny Spring morning with blue skies above is truly one of the joys of life and I went on my way heartened by the sights and sounds of wildlife here in the Pennines. A pair of Lapwing were seeing off a Crow that was at least a field away from their usual nesting location.

I reached the halfway point of my surveys and sat down for a rest and a drink, watching a lady tending her horses over in the field on the other side of the stream by the Pennine Way. As I watched a Great spotted Woodpecker came flying out of the wood and landed in a tree just in front of me, then it moved off into a dead tree by a derelict barn. I exected it to start looking for food and hopefully add another great sound to the morning, that of a woodpecker drumming, but unluckily it didn't and it flew off back into the wood.

As I sat there it would be good to say the morning was undisturbed by sounds of civilisation but that wasn't true. A large wind turbine has been erected by a local up on the hill top and although I was quite a way from it I could hear the whooshing sound of the blades. There are a few houses down here and I'd be well miffed if my peace and tranquility was broken by this noise. What do I think of wind turbines? Apart from people jumping on the bandwagon to get grants and make money from over-subsidised, inefficient, noisy, ugly and wildlife unfriendly monstrosities I think they are frankly a waste of time and space.

I set off on the homeward journey and the second part of my second square by walking up (down I guess as it's south?) the Pennine Way. Two Curlew took off from the field as I walked up and thankfully they flew away from the turbine. Research reports that Curlew are one of the species that are most sensitive to disturbance from wind turbines, being impacted up to 600 metres from them. Curlew don't breed in the fields here as the grass is too short so at least these birds won't be displaced from their breeding grounds by this turbine.

A pair of Pied Wagtails were catching insects on the walls, another addition to the mounting species list for the survey:

Pied Wagtail

I was approaching the top of the hill and the highest point of my walk when I saw a group of sheep and their lambs, with Stoodley Pike in the background this looked like an unmissable photo:

Sheep and Stoodley Pike

With the combination of walking and the sun getting higher in the sky I was overheating a little, so off came the coat - unheard of luxury this year...I'll be getting my shorts out next! Over the road and onto the last stretch of the square and a Small Tortoiseshell no less, the first of 4 I was to see on the remainder of my walk:

Small Tortoiseshell butterfly

The one real disappointment of the morning was that there were Skylarks. This section of the BBS square used to be ringing with Skylark song when I started doing the surveys all those years ago but numbers have tumbled until last year there was just one and this year none (yet). I still have the late survey to make in June so there is hope.  Down into Jumble Hole Clough and the expected Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs appeared. Nuthatch and Coal Tit were added too, and a Blackcap singing away.

The stream is looking a little sad and quiet but offerred another good photo with a slow shutter speed:

I was almost done now and was approaching the last section of my second square - a Song Thrush seen at long last. Phew, I was getting worried that they'd disppeared.

The last two species added were Mallard and Grey Wagtail on the River Calder as I finished. By chance I met a friend of mine on the bridge over the river and we had a long chat about wildlife, birds and life in general. A grand way to finish the walk, although I still had a mile or two before I got home. Still, the weather was fine and I could look forward to a nice cup of tea.

Spurn last Sunday

I spent the day at Spurn last Sunday. Although it was windy it wasn't cold at all and the wind had dropped from its very strong gusts the day before. The car thermometer said 13 degrees which was OK for 09:30 in the morning and with a hope of higher temperatures later.

I had seen reports of Black Redstarts being seen and also a Firecrest so these were possibles for the day, but the bird I really wanted to see was Wheatear. We usually have Wheatear back on the Pennines before this date but I hadn't seen one yet so that was my target bird for the day.

I walked the triangular route from the Blue Bell first and saw the usual common birds around there (Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Redshank, Dunlin, Curlew, Turnstone, Shelduck) and I was told that the Firecest had been trapped and released around the chuchyard area. I spent a while searching, but in vain I'm afraid. I found my first migrant in Willow Warbler, and it was great to hear its song again after a very long winter. There had been a good influx of WWs overnight and they were found regularly through the day.

As I got back to the car park I looked over the small ponds and there were 3 Wheatear just next to a Brent Goose. Fantastic birds looking in good condition and in full breeding plumage. I could relax now and just enjoy whatever turned up as the target bird had been found.

After a nice lunch at the cafe I set off to walk down to the point in warm sun and good walking conditions as the wind was keeping me cool. Over to my left a male Ring Ouzel flew over the grass and landed on the hedgerow. What a smashing bird and a real bonus.

Around the canal scrape hide there were several remains of frogs and toads that had not made a successful road crossing and I saw a toad attempting the journey -

As I was watching a car came along so I made sure the toad made it OK to the other side.

When I reached the YWT hut I found that the road was still closed to the point from storm damage to the road earlier this year, so cars couldn't go any further, but land rovers etc were able to get to and from the Pilot/Life Boat station to keep them operational.

 

 

 YWT will be losing a fair amount of revenue through the migration season with the road being closed to cars.

I took to the beach for a while and scanned the mud to see if anything different was around and there were 9 Grey Plover mixed in with the other birds. There was also a sad sight along the tide line - a dolphin sp. had become stranded and died -

I carried on and got back onto the footpath. Down at Chalk Bank I was sitting having a rest when a Roe Deer came strolling into view. It took its time to decide what to do then it was off and running, it jumped the fence and disappeared.

A few yards further on and 7 Wheatear came flying through the grassy area leading up to the Heligoland trap so I walked slowly along with them and enjoyed the great views they gave me. One flew onto the old debris and it was too good an opportunity to miss what with my sense of humour y'know -

Spring is sprung

 

I reached the lighthouse, having met and walked for 15 minutes with a knowledgeable visitor from Southampton on the way.

Spurn Lighthouse

White paint could do with another coat...

Willow Warblers were in the gardens of the empty houses down at the point, feeding quite openly as they had just arrived, and not skulking as they do normally -

I set off to walk back to the car park and had a few more Willow Warblers in the scrub -

There was also a Chiff Chaff singing in bushes just off the road. Then I had the shock of the day as I pushed through buckthorn bushes to get back onto the path, I put up a Woodcock! I had not expected that and it took me a second or two to get the bins onto it as it disappeared into the distance.

Strange lighting - these markers are green not blue?!

The Hebridean sheep that have been drafted in to keep the buckthorn down were munching away in the warmth of the afternoon sun -

 

To break the journey from trudging down the path I went onto the eastuary side beach again and scanned the mud flats for birds. In with the Redshank and Dunlin were a few Ringed Plover and 6 more Brent Geese, though they were a long way out and the photos have been severely cropped -

Ringed Plover and Dunlin

View back to the car park and of the damaged road area with a Coastguard vehicle approaching

The remainder of the walk back was uneventful apart from seeing about 20 Fieldfare and Redwing with a large of c.100 Starling, and when set off to drive home at 17:30 the temperature had reached 18 degrees. So, I'd enjoyed a really good day out doing what I enjoy - walking in the fresh air and birding, with one or two decent photos as well.

A long walk in the warm sun for a change

The afternoon was just fabulous so I set off in shirt sleeves for a walk to Langfield and Gaddings to check for returning Wheatear and Twite. The sun was warming but I held off donning my shorts for now - you can't be too careful!

The walk up to Langfield was made more interesting by having to negotiate snow drifts. A strange mixture of warm sun, dry paths and snow.

There were a few Meadow Pipits around but nowhere near as many as there should be at this time of year, but things are looking up now so numbers should soon increase. I spent a fair long time looking along Langfield and through Jail Hole for Wheatear and Twite, but although there were no Wheatear I did find 2 Twite so one out of two ain't bad.

Up at Gaddings Dam there were hardly any birds, just 2 Skylarks singing and a few Mipits.

As I walked around it was hard not to notice that the frogs have started spawning at last and the hills were alive with the sound of....croaking.

On the way home I stopped in at Lee Dam and the 3 Mallards and f. Goosander were there as per yesterday, along with 2 Canada Geese. As I was watching, the Goosander was joined by 2 Pied Wagtails that started bathing at the water's edge, and after a minute or so these were joined by a Grey Wagtail.

A minute or so passed and the Wagtails were scared off by 4 Teal landing in the water a few yards off shore.

I found it amusing that the Goosander never moved and just put its head back under its wing and carried on dozing.

Passing by the local farmer's fields it was good to see the sheep and lambs out where they belonged again rather than being cooped up in the barns through the snow and cold weather.

 

As there were no Wheatear at Langfield I carried on over to Swillington and Rough Head to check there as that's been a good site for early Wheatear in past years, but nothing doing yet. Never mind, things are warming up nicely and it's only a matter of time before they return.

Local patch update

I had a good walk around my local patch today. It is still cold with a chill wind blowing. Although the sun appeared for a few minutes mid-morning it didn't do anything to raise the temperature, but it lifted my spirits!

Shaw Clough is getting more treacherous with each passing day as the footpath is being eroded and chewed up by mountain bikers who continue to ride down there even though it is only a footpath and not a bridleway. I've had a few near misses with these idiots who behave as though the footpaths are their personal playgrounds and who seem to believe pedestrians/walkers shouldn't be there getting in their way, whereas in fact they shouldn't be on footpaths. Grrrrr.

Anyway, there were plenty of birds about today, nothing special but plenty of activity that suggests Spring is happening despite the cold weather. Daffodils buds are almost ready to burst into flower, wild garlic is recovering from the snow covering and birds are gathering nesting material and pairing off.

A Song Thrush was singing as I entered the wood and a Nuthatch was calling from a moss covered tree. Further down the clough a Great Spotted Woodpecker was drumming on a well-used dead branch. I didn't see any Treecreepers which is unusual here. I found a dead Shrew on the path which I would have exoected to have been eaten as carrion by something. However, I vaguely remember that Shrews have a nasty bite and have toxic saliva (?) so maybe this prevents them from being eaten by mammals or birds? I'll have to do a bit of research on this topic.

Along the Rochdale Canal and by the River Calder there were no birds of note just corvids and tits and a few Chaffinches, although the Jackdaw colony at the quarry is very noisy and busy with birds doing Springlike stuff.

Up through Lumbutts Clough past New Mill Dam there were 2 Dippers flying upstream; 2 Nuthatch with one calling; a Goldcrest feeding away and the sound of Great and Blue Tits everywhere. The wild garlic through Lumbutts Clough is coming on well and hopefully the smell will soon be a welcome sign of Spring.

At Lee Dam a pair of Goldcrest were flitting about and 3 Mallards and a female Goosander were on the water. A Moorhen was poking about on the small piece of land that has emerged from the lower water levels at long last.

Walking through Mankinholes there was only a single Little Owl to be seen, although I was little late this morning and it was getting on towards midday by the time I got to the hamlet. I find that the best time to see Little Owls around here is during the morning up to about 11:00 am and after about an hour before dusk in the evening.

Most of the photos I took weren't worth bothering with as the light was poor today (we had a short flurry of snow around 9:00 too) but this Nuthatch isn't too bad. I do feel that as the blog is supposed to be about my pics, I should try as post at least one photo with each entry :)

Hornsea Mere and Barmston

I went down to Kirkholme Point at the Mere this morning in bright sunshine and a less than strong easterly wind for a change. It felt quite warm!

A fair number of Goldeneye were still on the Mere (est. 150+) with 4 Gadwall, 9 Pochard, 7 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Mute Swans and the usual large numbers of Mallard, Coot and Tufted Duck. The best of the morning however was the Long-tailed Duck - a fine drake which came swimming from the direction of the boat jetties only 20 yards from the shore. Fantastic views and I'd left my camera at home!

Off to Barmston this afternoon in the hope of seeing the juv. Iceland Gull and several other birds that usually hand around the tide line.

The large flock of gulls were about 3/4 of a mile North of the car park so I set off in that direction thinking that would be my best bet but apparently the bird usually avoids the other large gulls and stays, if not isolated, then on the fringe of the flocks.

There were a lot of small waders on the tide line so I went down to look at them first. Sanderling were the most numerous (c. 200) with Dunlin (11), Knot (4), Redshank (13), Turnstone (6) and 3 Grey Plover. 

While I was scanning the gulls through the scope someone came running along the beach and put them all up which stopped any systematic search, but sometimes you turn out to be better off just wandering about!

I then met a fellow birder who was local and he told me where the Jack Snipe were to be found so we walked off the beach into the fields and within 5 mins we put up 2 or 3 Jack Snipe and a couple of Common Snipe too. The two photos of the Jack Snipe here are record shots, and only just good enough to be called that:

 

As we were walking back to the car park along the beach the Iceland Gull flew past us and it looked as though it was going to land around the cliffs/car park area, but instead it drifted away south and out of sight. As we got to top of the path towards the caravan park the Iceland Gull flew towards us and North giving good views and I was able to get a few photos:

So all in all a grand day on the coast - dry, warm-ish with a high of 8 degrees and plently of good birds :)

Long walk in improving weather

As the weather was reasonable today (no snow for 3 days now so looking good) I decided to stretch my legs a little following a long lay off of about 5 weeks. Although there was still a lot of snow laying on the ground in drifts, all the roads and about 30% of the foot paths are passable without too much effort. However, me being me decided that a little off-piste would be interesting so I did get a bit of snow down the top of my boots, just to remind me that it isn't fully fledged Spring yet.

There were 3 Mistle Thrushes and just a single Little Owl at Mankinholes on my way through. I hope the other owl is OK as they are usually seen together.

A nice surprise was a Coot at Lee Dam, only my third record here at this site:

A few Long-tailed Tits were in the trees around the dam but nothing else was about, not even Mallards.

After a few miles of walking on the roads, off I went up onto the hills to see if anything had flown in over the past few weeks. The snow was deep in places but I wasn't the first to venture up here:

It will be good to see a little more green through the camera viewfinder and hopefully I will in the weeks to come.

These pools are usually full of frogs and frog spawn at this time of year, but not now:

A Raven was overhead, cronking away to make sure I was aware it was there, and I followed it through the bins over to some rocks where I got a better view of it:

An hour or so later and out of the deep snow I was lucky enough to see a Peregrine perched up: