Hornsea Mere and the coast

On Sunday morning went to Hornsea Mere with ML and RL. JH had seen nothing of note from the hide so went straight to Kirkholme Point. Immediately saw a Great White Egret sat in a tree north of the car park with several Grey Herons.

Great White Egret with Grey Heron off Kirkholme Point

The second Egret was more distance in Decoy Bay. Also heard, then saw 39 Pink-footed Geese flying south. The Danish ringed Black-headed Gull was again around the parked cars.

Danish ringed Black-headed Gull

Moved to Barmston. Tide well out and a lot of people on the beach. No sign of the Kumlien’s Gull there or in the fields north of the caravan park. Later found the Kumlien’s was on Bridlington North beach all day. Interestingly it had been seen there this time last year. Also at Barmston 7 Little Gulls and 35 Snow Buntings had been seen this morning.

Did a sea watch off Ulrome early afternoon. The highlight was at least 4 adult Gulls as well as a drake Goosander, 6 Red-throated Diver, 12 Guillemots, 4 Goldeneye, 12 Shelduck and a Pink-footed Goose that flew north overhead.

Erosion at Ulrome caravan park

Failed coastal defences at Ulrome [Man Proposes, God Disposes-Landseer]. 

Finished the day in the Hornsea Mere hide. Again no interesting gulls but had the female Velvet Scoter and a least 7 Scaup. Saw one of the Great White Egrets flying west to roost late afternoon.

Female Velvet Scoter

Greater Scaup with Coot and Wigeon-RL

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Getting the year started

2014 started much as 2013 ended with strong wind and heavy rain. With this in mind RL and I started out in Hornsea Mere hide. With the gate at Kirkholme Point shut and the weather too much for even the Merebirder diehards we had the place to ourselves. Had both Great White Egrets distantly by Kirkholme Point. Went to Barmston. The tide was well up and there was no sign of the Kumlien’s Gull on the beach and it was too foul to look for it in the fields north of the caravan park. Last reported on the 28/12/13. Had a drive round the caravan incase the recent Black Redstart was still around

Went on to Ulrome where we could sea-watch from the car. Managed 5 Common Scoters, 17 Fulmar, 1+ Kittiwake, Lesser Black-backed Gull, 10 Teal, 3 Shoveler and a Red-throated Diver. The coast had suffered badly from last years tidal surge.

On a whim we decided to finished the day back at the mere hide. Just north of Hornsea we had a flock of 117 Greylag Geese with one Pink-footed Goose. Back at Hornsea Mere our decision paid off when I located the female Velvet Scoter, as usual between us and Swan Island. We also managed 4 little Gulls. Could have been more but all the small gulls roosted close in to the south side and were difficult to differentiate in the conditions. Leaving we had both Great White Egrets roosting at the bottom of the cormorant trees close to Seaton Road.

Thursday by contrast was like a spring day. Started at Welton Waters. This area had been badly effected by flooding from the Humber before Christmas. A lot of debris but no sign of any serious damage. Presumably all the fridges etc that had reportedly been floating in the pits had been removed. Wildfowl numbers were low for this time of year. Whether this was a consequence of the flooding I don’t know. However a total of 8 Little Grebes was better than recent winters. On a positive note, although we didn’t see one, an Otter had preformed well on watersports pit earlier. The first report since the herbicide treatment which seems to have put off the birds. Continued to the airfield. A section of the flood bank just west of Brough Angling Complex had been scoured out by the floods.

Brough airfield marsh

As expected the water level was up on airfield marsh but again little wildfowl although 4 Pochard was new for the day. Scanning the marsh I saw a large brown bird flying from Brough Angling Complex. Common Buzzard and Short-eared Owl were eliminated and I realised it was a Bittern. RL get on it before it dropped into the marsh. Had a few previous records but not an easy bird anywhere.

Some of the detritus removed from Brough airfield

Debris on Brough foreshore

The recent flood defence improvements appear to have saved BAE

Continuing on to the Haven I had 100+ Teal. Checked through them but the Green-winged Teal was still at North Cave Wetlands so didn’t have much optimism. Also had a female Marsh Harrier to the west.

Went on to Tophill Low NR. I had a quick look round the south end, with only a Barn Owl behind Watton NR of note, then joined RL in D reservoir middle hide. RL found an adult Mediterranean Gull. I had a frustrating egret flying south near dusk. Looked too big for a Little but couldn’t clinch it as a Great White. Disappeared over trees before anyone else could get on it. One that got away but neither species is a big deal nowadays. For yesterday on the reserve check here,

D reservoir at dusk 

Seeing double and kum back?

1/12 Went to Hornsea Mere with RL and ML on Sunday morning. Joined by JH in the hide. I picked out a Great White Egret actually on the edge of Kirkholme Point. We drove round but unfortunately it saw us before we saw it and flew to ‘tree Island’  where it was joined by the 2nd bird which had been previously in trees just to the east.

Great White Egret flying from Kirkholme Point

Great White Egrets off ‘tree island’

A first winter Caspian Gull was seen off the ‘cormorant trees’ on Wednesday and six Scaup and the Long-tailed Duck again on Thursday.

Went on to Ulrome where only a few Red-throated Divers and a Great Crested Grebe were seen, much the same as RL had  on Saturday. We did have a Grey Seal close offshore though.

Grey Seal

Went to Barmston and walked to the outfall for waders but were beaten by the tide. I continued to the car park. Just as I got there a white-winged gull flew north. I moved quickly to opposite the caravan park. Initially no sign but then I picked it up pretty close eating on a small flat fish. Immediately realised it was an Iceland Gull then looking closer saw the primaries had greyish brown centres with white edges confirming my suspicions that it was the returning Kumlien’s Gull.

Second winter Kumlien’s Gull eating a flatfish.

Flew off as ML arrived.

Turnstone

As the tide was pushing up we went to look for it with the other gulls in the fields north of the caravan park. No sign but as we walked back I saw it back where I originally had it. Watched it for a while and were able to pick out the darker wedges on the outer webs of the outer primaries when it flew a short distance onto the sea where it lingered before flying north a few hundred metres to join a few other gulls on the beach.

Second winter Kumlien’s Gull taking off

Second winter Kumlien’s Gull over the sea-RL

Oystercatcher

The Snow Buntings at Paull were last seen on Tuesday. For more from Paull see here. Also includes an account of the Gyr Falcon.

Roy and JH had 26 Goosander including 9 drake on East Park Lake in Hull on Wednesday.

 

Pair of Goosander-East Park,Hull-RL

Also a ringed Black-headed Gull.

Danish ringed Black-headed Gull-East Park-RL

For the latest from Tophill Low NR check here.

For more in the Hull Valley recording area check here.

More like winter?

Late report, via Roy Lyon, of a Corncrake found dead and photographed on pavement at Grimston Street, Hull on the morning of 28/8/13 By Pete Minns.

Dead Corncrake-Hull-P.Minns

For recent sighting from Hornsea Mere check here.

10/9 Moth total on Tuesday morning again low but brightened up by a nice Sallow and a drabber Pale Mottled Willow , both new for the garden, as well as the 1st autumn Snout [that’s autumn not Autumnal!}.

Sallow

Pale Mottled Willow

Went to Hornsea Mere with Roy this morning. Good numbers of hirundines over the mere in the cold wet weather. Roy counted 63 Little Gulls and I found an adult winter Mediterranean Gull but no sign of Black Tern or Red and Black-necked Grebes. Whilst checking Kirkholme Point felt cold for the first in many weeks.

Little Gulls on jetty at Hornsea Mere

Independently Mark Robinson re-found the Great White Egret and had 4 Greenshank and a Yellow Wagtail on Kirkholme Point.

Did a sea-watch off Ulrome early afternoon. Murk limited viewing and apart from good counts of Gannet and Fulmar only had an Arctic Skua and a few Kittiwake, Common Scoter and Teal.

Moved to Tophill Low NR. Again good numbers of hirundine and as at Hornsea Mere a noticeable influx of Wigeon and Gadwall. Otherwise little else with no waders today although yesterday Green Sandpiper and Snipe on Watton NR. The best bird was a Grey Wagtail by O reservoir.

Grey Wagtail by O res.

Brian Spence had several sightings of Kingfisher on North Marsh.

Great, Small and micro

5/6 Had a good walk round the Drewton Estate on Wednesday afternoon. The plan had been to look for butterflies and moths but the low cloud that plagued the east coast recently hadn’t burnt off so ended up seeing, apart from the ever present Nettle-taps, one moth but this was a new one for me, a Cork Moth. A really nice looking micro.

Cork Moth-Drewton Estate

View from Drewton Estate.

Black Swan-Drewton Manor

6/6 Went to look for Dragonflies at Fountain Farm, Watton with Roy and Martin L on Thursday afternoon. Only managed 6 Azure Damselflies but a few other interesting insects.

Alder Fly-Watton

Nettle Weevils-Watton

With the Great White Egret reported again this afternoon at Tophill Low NR went to get a site tick for Martin after adding it to his Yorkshire List on Tuesday.

Sand Martin-Tophill Low NR

Had been seen recently at Struncheon Hill Pond but no sign of it there late afternoon. Split up and Roy and Martin checked the ditches around Hempholme Meadow whilst I checked the area west of Barmston Drain. Shortly got a call from Martin that Roy had seen it dropped onto Hempholme Meadow. We then viewed it from Barmston Drain bank for a few minute before it took off and flew strongly east.

Great White Egret-Hempholme Meadow

Did return as Lee Johnson had it in the evening from North Marsh. This is the 3rd record for the site [check here]. All seen by Roy and I. More here.

Great White Egret-Tophill Low NR-June 1997-1st record.

Ring-necked Duck had been reported again for the last two days but no sign for us early evening or other regulars earlier.

7/6 The Great White Egret was again at the north end of Tophill Low NR on Friday. Went to High Eske late afternoon. The Oystercatcher still had one very large chick but the Common Terns had abandoned their nest but were still present so could sit again.

Common Tern-High Eske NR

Chimney Sweeper-Pulfin NR

Azure Damselfly-High Eske NR

Blue-tailed Damselfly-High Eske NR

Had a few Lapwing chicks on Leven Carrs. Good numbers of odonata along Leven Canal earlier but too cold later but I had a few damselflies behind High Eske pit. 3 Ringed Plover were on the temporary Islands when I returned to the NR.

8/6 Went to Swinemoor with Roy and Martin L on Saturday afternoon. I picked out the now tatty drake Garganey. Also 2 Ringed Plover and 4 Little Ringed Plover. Had a look at Bewholme Hall then check the sea between Atwick and Barmston. Had a few Puffin, a Manx Shearwater off Ulrome and a female Eider off Barmston.

9/6 Went to Tophill Low NR with Roy on Sunday morning. Jeff Barker had the Great White Egret on Hempholme Meadow early morning but no further sign although we had it’s smaller cousin flying north from North Marsh, causing some confusion at Hempholme Meadow. We went to Kiplingcotes with John this afternoon. Hoped for the recently seen Turtle Doves but missed out along with several others. Although not exactly warm it was brighter than at Tophill Low NR and we managed a good list of insects. In some way the less perfect weather can help with butterflies and moths as although harder to find are less mobile when located which helped with Dingy Skipper which can be difficult to photograph.

Cocksfoot Moth-Hudson WayCinnabar Moth-Kiplingcotes Chalk pit

Dingy Skipper-Kiplingcotes Chalk Pit

Green-legged Sawfly

Common Blue Butterfly-Kiplingcotes Chalk Pit

Small Heath-Hudson Way

Speckled Wood-Hudson Way

Tenthredo livida

Nettle-tap-Hudson Way

For more from Kiplingcotes check here

10/6 Monday afternoon checked out a site at North Newbald. Looked good for Banded Demoiselle but too cold today. Had my first orchids of the year.

Southern Marsh Orchid-N.Newbald

Kumlien’s Gull revisited.

Went to Weedley Springs on Monday morning to look for migrants. Pretty quiet with only a Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and 2 Blackcap. Had a photogenic Brimstone butterfly but flushed by 2 inconsiderate mountain bikers and lost to view.

Went to Hornsea Mere with Martin L and Roy this afternoon. Had the 3 Red-crested Pochard again.

Female Red-crested Pochard of the mixed pair-Hornsea Mere

Went to do a see watch at Ulrome. Had a few Kittiwake and Sandwich Tern as well as 3 Sanderling and a Turnstone on the beach. Moved further up the coast to Barmston. The “Kumliem’s” Gull was on the beach below the car park. Now looking very white. Is it distinguishable from a first summer Iceland Gull?

Kumlien’s Gull-Barmston

Flew north then back south again, disappearing towards Ulrome.

Kumlien’s Gull-Barmston

Sea birds as at Ulrome. 11 Turnstone on the outfall, and a similar number of Sanderling and a Dunlin. 2 Hobbies reported flying south along cliff top late afternoon.

Ring-necked Duck still at Tophill Low NR this evening.

 

 

 

Getting cold again!

24/4 Went to Tophill Low NR on Wednesday afternoon. The intention was to check out the Blue-headed Wagtails seen over the weekend so after confirming the Ring-necked Duck was still on D reservoir [before departing to Hornsea Mere for a short break] headed north up the straight road but only had a single Yellow Wagtail.

Drake Ring-necked Duck-Tophill Low NR-M.Lonsdale.

After checking Hempholme Meadows walked back through D woods. Had a Lesser Redpoll at the north end. Then headed straight for Watton NR before the light got too flaring. Had a Little Ringed Plover, probably the 1st sighting for a while. Then did South Marsh West. The Cetti’s Warbler was again singing close to “back to back’ hide. Even saw in a bush close to the hide but repeatedly failed to locate it in the view finder, did the same on Saturday. On the now almost drain South East I found 2 White Wagtails as well as 2 Redshank. In fact so dry now there was a excavator out on it!

For more from the reserve check here.

25/4 Ring-necked Duck relocated on Hornsea Mere on Thursday morning.

Roy and Martin had the 2 redhead Goosander and 5 Pink-footed Geese at High Eske NR.

I birded outside the “valley”.

For recent wildlife sightings in the Beverley area check here

27/4 Had the trap out over night on Friday. Only a Early Grey.

Early Grey

Went to Hornsea Mere with Roy on Saturday afternoon. Had the pair of Red-crested Pochard and mixed pair again from the hide.

Pair of Red-crested Pochard-Hornsea Mere 

Roy picked up the pair of Black-necked Grebes, 1st reported a week ago, but close to the south side. Also despite numbers down eslewhere we had 88 Goldeneye.  Also Common Sandpiper on Swan Island. However no sign of the Ring-necked Duck seen again yesterday, Round at Kirkholme Point there was a very mobile flock of wagtails including a Channel-type. Also a male Wheatear

Went to Atwick to do a sea watch but couldn’t get out of the wind so moved to Ulrome where we got a shelter between the caravans. Got my 1st Sandwich Tern as well as a few Kittiwake, Gannet and Red-throated Divers and Guillemot.

Checked Bewholme Hall where had a Little Ringed Plover and pair of Oystercatcher.

Finished at Swinemoor. Still plenty of duck but only waders were 2 Little Ringed Plovers and 2 Redshank. For more recently from here check here and here.

For the 1st damselfly at Tophill Low NR check here.