Holderness: Hedon, Preston, Lelley, Sproatley

A mild, still day with light cloud and sunny spells, very pleasant for walking. I take the 75 to Hedon. Swifts and House Martins fly over the church. Then I walk north along Church Lane and then along Preston Road, where a dual bike/pedestrian lane is parallel to the road until Preston. I record aquatic plants from bridges and popped to the edge of a hay meadow, where I find my first Ringlet and Meadow Brown of the year.

Ringlet.

Meadow Brown.

House Sparrow.

Mating Goldfinches.

Mating Goldfinches.

Small Tortoiseshells. I see a few along today's route.

A Roesel's nymph on a grassy field margin.

This Blackbird was singing while holding food in its mouth.

I'm so pleased each time I find a Yellow Wagtail on these walks. This one was on the roof of Woodhouse Farm.

I walk along East End road and then cut across Woodhouse Farm track to Nuttles Road, to Lelley. It is a busy road, and although the verges have been cut, it is not a pleasant stretch of road. I have my lunch at Lelley war memorial bench, and then I go to the Stag's Head for a coffee and toilet break. After, it's a bridleway to Sproatley, what a joy to be away from the traffic. There are some 

New York Farm sign.

A street in Lelley.

Rabbits.

Lelley Balk, a bridleway.

Linnet.

A Lesser Black-backed Gull mobs a passing Buzzard.

Buzzard.

I get to the edge of Sproatley and meander around the minor streets aiming for the Church. There are wooded footpaths and a lovely meadow, where I disturb a Roe Deer buck, which barks as it bounds away. I'm in luck that the direct bus to Hull, 277, is in 10 minutes. I will have to start two more walks at Sproatley, so I'm happy to leave exploring more of the village for then.

Cottage at Boggle's Lane.

Large Skipper.

St Swithun's Church at Sproatley.

Holderness: Burstwick, Elstronwick and Danthorpe

A mild day with light cloud and brief sunny spells, I take bus 75 to Burstwick. I walk east along Pinfold lane to take the public right of way by Burstwick drain. A blackthorn is in full bloom, its branches packed with blossom. Several Small Tortoiseshells bask and flutter on the banks of the drain, which are peppered on flowering Lesser Celandines. Skylarks sing over the fields. I walk north on Hedon road by the golf course, and then take the right towards Windy Hill, where I leave the busy road for the footpath towards Lelley Grange. Siskins sing from an alder and a hare bounds away. A sprinkle of Linnets. Rooks fly over towards the rookery at Daisy Hill farm. Ditches, hedges and arable fields make most of the landscape, which is undulating. Right beyond the crossing at with Bownhill lake there is a grassy hollow, the ditch that runs through it and a local hill give away that this used to be a mere: Braemere. It is now horse paddocks, but there is open water, and judging by the position of the fences the area has flooder overwinter, overtopping its banks. Greylags, Mallards and a Moorhen feed or rest around it. Flocks of starlings fly overhead. Later, on the way back, I see two Curlew by the water's edge.

Small Tortoiseshell.

Rook.

Brown Hare.

Siskin.

Rookery at Daisy Hill farm.

Rookery.

Roe deer by Fox Covert.

Roe Deer.

Clumps of primroses flower on churchyards and on innaccessible banks, refuges for this species.

The crossing with Bownhill Lane.

Elstronwick is an elongated village from East to West between Front street and Back street. The houses and cottages are spread out, and the village has a very rural field, out of the busy roads. Chickens feed on the street. I have my lunch overlooking North Field. Afterwards, I continue along Back lane and then cross to Front lane, where I visit the churchyard of St Lawrence's Church. A Chiffchaff sings. The church sits just by Humbleton Beck, which is running gingerly (top shot) and drains its waters to Burstwick Drain after joining Braemere drain. I continue on the public right of way towards Danthorpe hamlet. A pond with domestic ducks has a pair of Shelduck, I assume wild by their alert stance, and a barnacle goose of doubtful origin. A group of cheeky lambs comes to have a closer look, while a Pied Wagtail feeds on the grass behind them.

Robin.

St Lawrence's church.

Shelduck.

Curious lambs.

A crossing on the edge of Elstronwick.

I take the road to Burton Pidsea, a village I still need to visit, but I have no time today. I walk along the road and turn right on Fieldend lane towards Lelley Grange and soon I reach the public right of way along Burstwick Drain.

Rabbit.

Curlew by Braemere ditch.

Linnets.

Buzzard at Bridge Farm.

Mature poplars on the edge of Bridge Farm.

A Roe Deer buck in full run.

A new bridge over Burstwick drain.

A woodpecker near the golf course was a nice surprise.

All Saints' Church in Burstwick.

Jackdaw.

As I enter Burstwick, children, the village is busy with the school run. I wait for the late bus at Station road to go back home.

Holderness: Keyingham, Ryehill, Camerton, Thorngumbald and Hedon

Wintry cold has finally arrived after weeks of overcast, mild and gloomy weather, which, on the positive side brought some welcome rain. My aim today is to visit two hamlets just by Thorngumbald, which are in the middle of my walk. I take the 7:45 X7 bus to Keyingham, and walk along Church Lane and then around the church through Station Road.  There are a couple of short hail showers to start with, but otherwise the weather was quite pleasant, with plenty of sunny spells. The fields by the village are busy with Rooks, Jackdaws and gulls. Two Woodpigeons gorge on what looks like some type of cherry, balancing on the thin branches to reach them.

Woodpigeon with cherries.

Keyingham St Nicholas church.

Jackdaw.

A Starling singing and basking in the sunshine.

Rook portrait.

A female House Sparrow feeding on haws.

Stock Dove singing by the old station building.

As I take the Withernsea railway track towards Hedon, I notice a Curlew on a paddock. On the other side of the track, on a winter sown field there are 15 curlew, their lovely calls carrying far. Blackbirds, Redwings and Fieldfares move along the hedges lining the track, feeding on haws and sloes. It doesn't take me long to get to Keyingham drain (top shot). As I get there a large flock of Fieldfare and redwing land on a field and then fly overhead to Kelsey Gardens.

Curlew.

Curlew and Black-headed Gull.

A Song Thrush picked a sloe and tried to swallow it to no avail, the sloes are quite of a large size this year.

Four juvenile Mute Swans, I wonder if the offpring of the Kelsey Gardens pair, on Keyingham drain.

Fieldfares and a couple of Redwing.

Fieldfare and Redwings.

I take a short detour to Kelsey Gardens south lake. It is quiet, the cafe closed. I flush two Cormorants that were fishing near the shore, they land on the middle of the lake and eye me suspiciously. The resident pair of Mute Swans are more sedated, swimming by and in the distance at least 4 Little Grebes. Two crows rattle casing a Sparrowhawk. A Great Spotted Woodpecker feeds on a lichen-covered tree trunk. I return to the railway trail and watch Reed Buntings feeding on a field planted with millet (I think!). Further on, a Buzzard is sitting on a field, walking every now and then with that funny swagger of them. There is a stretch of road towards Ryehill I must walk by. I was planning to take a right of way 'shortcut' across the field, but I notice there is a large mixed flock of Lapwing and Golden plover on it, so I carry on by the road. Just by the crossing a covey of Red-legged Partridges are sitting looking like they are enjoying the sunshine.

Cormorant.

Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Mute Swans.

Little Grebes.

Redwing.

Long-tailed Tit.

Magpie amongst the sheep.

Reed Bunting.

Buzzard on a field.

Lapwing.

Red-legged Partridge.

Golden Plovers by Ryehill.

Ryehill and Camerton are next to each other on the East of Thorngumbald, I take a walk around them. On a field by Ryehill I count 42 Curlew, which is the most I've seen in a long while. I'm pleased to record the Green Meshweaver in Thorngumbald. I want to check the Fallow Deer herd by the road to Hedon. I count 22, some of them look young and many are very pale. A few though, have the lovely russet coat with white spots.

Curlew by Ryehill.

Pied Wagtail.

A Green Meshweaver at Thorngumbald.

Fallow Deer.

Fallow Deer buck with doe.

I even managed to spot a Buff-tailed Bumblebee, basking underneath a Mahonia.