Holderness: Ottringham, Sunk Island and Stone Creek

I take the bus to Ottringham, where I start of the walk. The walk is on very flat, exposed terrain so a bright day with little wind seemed ideal for it. Ottringham I didn't mind repeat visiting and the wide open never ending fields and straight roads paid off with some nice migrants. Swallows are back at Ottringham too. Soon after leaving the village a Buzzard was soaring, then a few minutes later it flew over carrying a vole. I visited Sunk Island and Stone Creek in 2018, during my walking the Humber series, where I wrote about the strange history of the island and its name. It is a massive area, reclaimed from the Humber and therefore very flat with the land virtually all devoted to intensive arable. In a field where wheat is starting to grow, three Lapwing are dispersed, one of them looking like it's making a scrape. Two Shelduck and a Little Egret flies over. The road is lined with trees, which add some shade and interest. I cross the North Channel and the Sunk Island drain and I am now on the island.

Herring Gulls at Ottringham Church.

Swallow at Ottringham

Buzzard with Field Vole prey.

Lapwing making a scrape?

Looking west along Marsh Drain from Ottringham Drain.

The North Channel.

We are now in Sunk Island.

Shortly after 'crossing' onto the island I spot a bird on a glowing rapeseed field, a Whinchat! On the same field there is a Reed Bunting. I plough along the straight road, not even trees or hedges along it. Sunk Island village is made up of a church and a school at a crossroads, with farms spread across the island. Although Stone Creek is just a boating compound on an inlet at one end of Sunk Island, I decide it adds to the interest of the walk, as I will have lunch by the Humber.  I popped into the Churchyard and record some plants and bees. The Rookery is noisy and Jackdaws fly overhead. I turn right at the crossroads and head towards Stone Creek. Yellowhammers call 'zit' from the hedges. A female and then a male Marsh Harriers quarted over the fields. As I get to Stone Creek, on the coastguard cottages I spot a Tree Sparrow. Sadly, Iit's been a while in the Holderness series that I've seen one. I sit down on one of the compound ramps to a boat and watch the Teal, Redshank and Curlew feeding on the creek. A Grey Plover arrives, landing quite close to me. A Marsh Harrier, then a Kestrel flies along the saltmarsh. Before I leave, I scan the distant saltmarsh and mudflats for seals and I see three, quite distant and hard to photograph with the heat haze, most likely Common Seals. The best of the way back is a Wheatear, on the same field of the Lapwings, just by the garden centre. I am quite happy with today's migrants. I do some recording around the bus stop at Ottringham and I head back home, after a total of about 22 km walked.

Whinchat.

Reed Bunting.

Large Rapeseed field.

At a crossroads.

Holy Trinity Church at Sunk Island.

Marsh Harrier.

Male Marsh Harrier.

Male Marsh Harrier.

Tree Sparrow.

I surprised this female pheasant and she just crouched there, not moving.

Teal.

Curlew.

Grey Plover.

Redshank.

A very fuzzy photos of three common seals. Not helped by the heat haze over the saltmarsh.

Reed Bunting.

Little Egret.

Linnets

Yellowhammer.

Wheatear.

 

Holderness: Kilnsea and Easington

A cold and windy day, with drizzle forecast in the morning. Nevertheless, to reach Kilnsea easily, Saturdays is the only day the Spurn Explorer bus runs, so I took it at 8:24 and just before 10 am I was at the Spurn Discovery centre. I dip into the Canal Scrape hide. It is very quiet, the only thing of note a Mute Swan on nest and a passing March Harrier that, with the wind, it seems to be flying backwards most of the time, Given the wind, I decide against walking along the bank and head towards Beacon Lane, seeking the shelter of the hedges. Another Marsh Harrier passes by. It starts drizzling to top the horrid wind. A Whimbrel, and then a group of 6-7 fly over. I get to Kilnsea Wetlands hide and I spot a Whimbrel feeding. Usual suspects from the hide, but it's lovely out of the wind. 

March Harrier.

The old Blue Bell building at Kilnsea.

A dapper Reed Bunting at Beacon Ponds.

Whimbrel.

Oystercatchers pair.

Shelduck pair.

Three highland cattle are grazing the wetlands. Note the Nofence collar.

A birder gets in the hide and comments on two drake Garganey at the wetlands on the other side of the road. Having missed the one at Bransholme reservoir, and quite relunctantly as it means leaving the comfort of the hide, I take advantage of the sky lightening and face the wind again. I'm wonderfully suprised to find Holly and Ryan at the other hide. They point at the Garganeys and a stunning summer plumage Bar-tailed Godwit. There are about 30 Curley about and a few Whimbrel too, one of them passes a Curlew allowing a side to side comparison. 

Lapwing.

Curlew (left) and Whimbrel side to side.

The dozing Garganey.

Bar-tailed Godwit.

Drake Pintail. Two females were present too.

Hare.

I come across Holly and Ryan again, who had left the hide earlier. The wind seems to have eased a bit. They have heard news of a Cuckoo and we head for the bank. We see the Cuckoo flying. It attempts to land atop a bush, but it changes its mind and dissapears from vide. Just then I spot a Barn Owl hunting ovet the field. It gives us great views. It has probably taken advantage of the easing wind to do a spot of hunting.

Barn Owl.

Barn Owl perched.

We head for the Discovery Centre for a hot drink and lunch. Afterwards, I head towards Sammy's Point on the Humber Bank. There is not much about, but I record some saltmarh plants that are colonising the bank and footpath, including Sea Wormwood, which I hadn't seen before there. 

View over the Humber with Spurn Point in the distance.

Looking towards Easington Bank.

Brent Geese.

Curlew.

The three of us meet again at Sammy's Point. Holly had messaged me that she had found a Redstart on the first paddock. It's a male, perched on a hawthorn and regularly flying back and forth to the ground. We watch it feeding for a while. Then I continue my walk towards Easington along Humber Side lane. I make a short stop at the cemetery, where I quickly find a male Brambling with some chaffinches. As quickly as they appeared, they dissappear! I carry on and admire the thatched roof tithe barn when I notice there are two Barn Swallows flying around the farm. I take some record shots, but, for my delight they land on an aerial and the male starts singing! I wander around Easington church while I wait for my bus back.

Male Redstart.

Redstart.

Another Whimbrel, it's been a Whimbrel day!

Little Egret.

Some animal sculptures decorate the edges of a field just before Easington, including this wonderful swan and dog pair.

Great Spotted Woodpecker at Easington Cemetery.

Male Brambling.

Easington tithe barn.

My first Swallows of the year, already settled and singing by the tithe barn.

Swallow pair.