May 11th,15th,16th,17th,19th

11th May 09:00-17:00 (MR,LI,TM,SN)

A cracking days birding at the Mere was mostly done by the boathouse, as a baltic NNW wind cut thru the Mere with intermittent light showers. Against the backdrop and scanning thru of many thousands of hirundines and Swifts, birds noted were 3 Black necked Grebes, 2 RCP’s (drk + fem), 1 LRP, 4 Wheatear KP, 3 Little Gull (1st summers), 1 Arctic Tern, 1 Arctic Skua dark morph (east over KP/east end Mere), 1 Hobby, 1 Short-eared Owl and 2 Common sands.

Wheatears – Jon Smith

15th May – (MR) – 2 Black necked Grebe, 2 RCP’s, 1 Egyptian Goose. Highlight however was the Turtle Dove found in Wassand by local residents Ray and Shirley.

Turtle Dove in Wassand

16th May (MR,LI) – am, 1 Dunlin, 2 RCP, 4 Common Sand, 3 Little Gull, pm 3 RCP’s (drk + 2 fems), 5 Little Gull, 3 Common Sand, 1 Dunlin, 1 Hobby and 2 White wags.

17th (MR,LI) – 5 Little Gull, 2 Black necked Grebe, 3 RCP’s, 4 Common Sand.

18th (MR) – 3 RCP’s, 2 Common Sand, Dunlin. Bewholme 3 Common Sand.

19th (TM,MR,LI) – 2 Arctic Tern thru east, 1 Common Tern, 3 Little Gull, Dunlin, 2 Common Sand. A late afternoon scan of hirundines was cut short enabling MR,LI and MJ to score with the Flamborough Citrine Wagtail early evening.

May 6th,7th,8th,9th&10th

Mere sightings from the past 5 days:

6th May (TM,SN) – 1 Grasshopper wrb reeling on the southbank between 1st and 2nd field early morning, 2 Black necked Grebe off 2nd field and a pair of RCP’s off 1st field late evening (LI)

7th May (MR,TM,SN) – 1 Fem Scaup west end, 2 Hobby, 1 LRP on KP, 2 Redshank, 3 Common sand, 22 Goldeneye, 1 Tundra Bean, 1 Black swan, 1 Egyptian Goose, 1 Ross’s type goose, 1 Plastic bag, 9 Whimbrel north and 2 Curlew. 1 LRP Bewholme + 13 Fieldfare.

8th May (MR) – 2 Wheatear KP + 1st field, 2 at Bewholme, 2 on seafront by the butty shop, 7 Common Sand KP + 1 at Bewholme, Gypo goose also Bewholme, 2 Redshank east end, 1 Little Gull 1st sum, Hobby, 12 Yellow wag north + 1 1st field, 1 Short eared owl south over Mere/2nd field late evening (LI,MR). Brimstone around Heslops (L.Ball)

9th May (MR) – 3 1st sum Little Gull, 3+ Common sand, 16 Goldeneye, 4 Wigeon, 16 Pied wag, 3 Yellow wag, 1 White wag, Tundra Bean, Bar headed goose and Black swan. The highlights however were 2 Ad Common Cranes picked up over 1st field (MR) and 2nd field (‘Gordon’ Bennett) just after 11am that spent around 25 minutes over the Mere before drifting off SW, just giving enough time for ‘Snazzy Feets’ latest recruit/mobile toe nail clipper time too catch up with em!! The next highlight was just short of a couple of hours away when an Osprey cut out from Decoy at 13:20 and made its way east then north over the Mere, again giving time for mobile foot specialists time to connect. Also just before the rain came late afternoon a pair of Garganey showed off the jetties by the east end reedbeds till 18:30.

Sadly not seen but noteworthy was a knackered Wryneck which was found in a Hornsea locals greenhouse just away from the Mere, and released in the cemetry.

10th May (MR) - Another Osprey picked up heading SE over the Mere at 08:10 (‘Gordon’ Bennett), was followed shortly after by a different (possibly yesterdays bird) again heading north (MR,GB,MJ) at 09:55. 3 Little Gull again on Mere, 11 Oycs over (MJ), 2 Common Sand, 1 Whimbrel west, 1 drk Goosander, 6+ Sparrowhawks, Grass snake in Heslops and a Wheatear at Bewholme.

 

Cranes – Sky High

2nd May

08:00-11:30

A decent few hours down Mere produced 7 Whimbrel north, 11 Arctic tern briefly then north, 1 Common tern, 2 Male 1 Fem Marsh Harrier, Peregrine and 2 Hobby. Whitethroat 1st and 2nd field and a Common Sand, with the highlight being a male Redstart found by Ade  (‘Gordon’ Bennett) around the KP putting green till 11ish at least.

After a soiree to South Landing to see the flycatcher, mid to late afternoon produced 8 Ad Little gull and a 1st summer bird on the Mere.

1st May – Wheatear (2nd field, TM), 30th April – Whinchat (1st field, L.Ball)

Also a shot of the Green winged Teal found by Tone on the 22nd April.

Green winged Teal – Steve Webb

March 27th-30th

Highlights from the past few days have been few and far between round the Mere, only the Glauc briefly on Wednesday and some Redwing thru Wassand being noteworthy. Luckily our good mate in Wassand Jon Smith was quick off the mark with his camera when he picked up a Black Redstart flycatching on his front lawn late afternoon on Tuesday. Another fine garden tick for Jon who also gets regular Spot Flys and Hobby thru the summer months and Tawny Owl in his backyard.

Mere Sightings 17th-23rd March

17th March – 11 drk Common Scoter, 1 sum plumage Black necked Grebe, 1 scandi Rock Pipit Kirkholme Point, Iceland Gull briefly, Chiffchaff. 1 LRP and single Dunlin at Bewholme.

20th March – 3 Common Buzzard, 8 Shelduck, 1 Common Scoter, 1 Grey Wag, Chiffchaff.

22nd March – scandi Rock Pipit Kirkholme Point, good nos of Chiffchaff now being seen/heard, 9 Sand Martin late afternoon over Swan Island.

23rd March – 1 Avocet, found at 11:00 swimming with a small raft of Goldeneye and Tufted Duck (classic Avocet carrier species) in the middle of the Mere!! Still present at 14:00 just off the spit off Swan Island. 12+ Sand Martin west end/Swan Island, Marsh Harrier over and Green Pecker Wassand.

March 12th-15th

Generally a quiet few days round the Mere with the highlight being the 2w Iceland Gull putting in a few appearances from Saturday onwards, showing well and coming to Hovis over the weekend and Monday. Some fine pics of the Iceland taken by Rich ‘Dicky Ticker’ Willison on Monday afternoon. Other birds around Mere included 4 Shelduck, 3 Oycs, 3+ LBB Gull, and a small increase in Goldeneye and Wigeon nos. On the 14th 12+Yellowhammer, 10 Reed Bunt and 7 Tree sparrow by the top end of 1st field. 15th Iceland again off jetties till 15:45 (LI,MR) and a stop off at Mappleton produced the 2w Glauc on the beach 1/4 mile south of the car park late afternoon.

1st March

Sightings round Wassand this aft included 3+ Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Coal Tit, Treecreeper, Gt S Woodpecker, Green Pecker, Goldcrest, highlight 2 male Crossbill in the Pines at 14:20 then flew across and dropped in around the horse paddocks (nr the cottages).  A gander from the hide late aft produced a 2nd LBB Gull on Tree Island and the 2 Oycs. 1 Pink foot goose from hide.