Holderness: Garton, Fitling, Humbleton and Sproatley

This is the last of the planned walks of the Holderness series. A warm day with an easterly wind and wispy high clouds, I get the three buses to Garton, actually four, as just short of the last stop, we are asked to leave the bus and board another one! At least it's a quick change and I get to Garton by 9:20, the earliest that can be done with public transport. I take back lane and then Humbleton Road towards Fitling. A Kestrel hunts from a stack of straw bales, whilst a young Buzzard calls over a copse. 

Kestrel.

A promise of a cofe turns to nothing, as the Spotted Duck cafe is not open on a Monday.

Black Bryony, their heart-shaped shiny leaves obvious on the hedges along the route.

The hamlet of Fitling sits between two minor single track roads, connected by a third. I take the route around the hamlet, which includes a caravan site, fishing ponds, stables and farms. Swallows and House Martins fly about. House Sparrows have a dust bath on a rough track. There is a flock of about 50 Rooks with a few Jackdaws and a Greylang feeding on a grassy field. Many young birds are more obvious than the adults: Robins, Whitethroats and Pheasant. This time of the year, with adult birds moulting, they tend to stay out of the way. 

Painted Lady.

Moorhen on fishing pond at Fitling.

Young Robin.

Chaffinch.

Rooks.

The arable fields are all harvested, the straw in bales or stacks.

Returned Common Gull.

Young Pheasants.

The single track road heading north towards Humbleton Road.

Adults and young Swallows.

Linnet.

I follow the road to Humbleton. It is getting to the middle of the day and the tarmac increases the feeling of heat. It is not too busy, which is good. The fields feel parched and there is not much of interest. At Humbleton, I head for St Peter's Church (top shot). The churchyard is very inviting, the lovely gate opened, Feral Pigeons and Jackdaws call from the church tower. I have my packed lunch sitting on one of the niches in the shade of the church, watching Migrant Hawkers hunt by the trees.

A lovely set of well kept cottages.

And one in need of TLC, the front door covered on an overgrown cotoneaster. 

A wonderful tree as I leave Humbleton.

I take Lelley road, which is not too busy, and I'm relieved at the sight of the bridleway sign, which meanders along ditches and fields all the way to Sproatley. I check the time, I'm making good progress to catch my bus to Hull. I have a bit of time, which I spend on the churchyard at Sproatley and the field just south of the church.

Bridleway sign from the road.

The view from the briddleway.

Ruddy Darter.

A pond with Bullrushes is the home of some Reed Buntings.

Friendly horse on a paddock near Sproatley.

I welcome the sight of this bench on the outskirts of Sproatley.

Looking back from Sproatley.

A dead mole on the path.

A Migrant Hawker landed for a quick rest near Sproatley Church.

And this is the end of this series of walks celebrating south Holderness and its wildlife. I will link back to these walks when I walk in the area in the future, which I most certainly will do!