Migrants Way. Stage 3. Easington to Holmpton

A beautiful sunny day with a light, cool SE wind. After arriving at Easington, I explore the grounds of the church and visit Tithe barn, a building with a thatched roof which is a scheduled ancient monument. A fox trots ahead of me at Vicar's Lane. I walk on the grassy path by the rock revetment protecting the Easington gas terminal and then move down to the beach. Heavy machinery is being used to pile large metal planks into the beach, presumably protection for the gas pipeline.

The tide is ebbing, with the low tide at 10:35, so I have plenty of time to walk on the beach, as I'm not sure if I'll be able to climb to the top of the cliff later. Checking the tides is crucial in the Holderness coast, as the high tide comes right up to the cliffs and climbing is not always possible. The beach is wide and walking is easy going as the sand is firm. Several pairs of Oystercatchers roost by the tideline. A small flock of Twite fly south just over the sand, calling along.

Oystercatcher.

The beach is mostly sand and shingle, with towering, crumbling clay cliffs. There is nobody there, no dog walkers, no fishermen, no runners. The cliffs are at their highest at Dimlington High Land, but here they appear particularly prone to erosion, they are not vertical, but the clay is slumped in irregular patterns, forming a slope: at the base of the cliffs, flows of liquefying clay have recently poured onto the sand. It is an otherworldly landscape, like I have escaped to Mars. Only the patches of bright yellow Coltsfoot bring me back to Earth

The area where two different colour glacial tills meet. 

The mud flowed over a section of the beach left high.

Another mud flow.

The mud left after glaciers melted

Holderness was born during the last ice age, as the sheets of ice coming from the north across what now is the north sea dragged a lot of sediments, at the base and front of the ice, to an area that previously had been a shallow sea. As the ice melted and the face of the ice sheet retreated, gravel, sand and clay transported by the ice were left behind, this is known as glacial till (another name is boulder clay) and it forms the cliffs of Holderness. These soft glacial sediments form three distinct layers known as Basement, Skipsea and Withernsea tills. The oldest, and deepest is the Basement till, which formed after the previous glacial cycle, (the Wolstonian ca. 300,000-130,000 BP) is only exposed around Dimlington, at the base of the cliff or on low tides, and at Bridlington. The Skipsea (in the middle) and Withernsea (at the top) tills formed as the last glacial ice retreated, each of these coming from different areas. Each was left behind as moraines after successive surges and retreats of the glacial ice lobe. Moraines were deposited during the melt of the ice sheets that covered Holderness. Read this article on glacial till in Holderness.

A patch with sand and gravel, deposited horizontally between the clay.

Looking north towards Dimlington High Land.

The thickest deposits of glacial till are found at the Dimlington high land, where the highest clay cliffs of Holderness are found, reaching over 30.5 m OSL. This is a site of geological importance, Dimlington Cliff SSSI, as it is a key stratigraphic site, that gives name to the Dimlington stadial period in the UK, from 26,000 to 13,000 years ago. There is no trigg point marking the highest point in the cliff as it is at the edge of the cliff, the slope moving landwards. The sea deepens also deepens fast at this point, with the 10 m mark at only 600 m offshore.

 Two villages were lost to rapid coastal erosion: Out Newton, of which only a farm is left, and Dimlington, of which a road name and a hill are all that is left.

Games that gulls play
There is a large mixed party of gulls loafing on the tideline. So much seems to be going on that I make a stop to watch them. The Common Gulls are chasing in the wind, going to and fro, one of them is playing drop-catch with a small object, letting it fall only a short while before catching again, other starts chasing it. Watching without binoculars it would be hard to see what's happening. It is fascinating to watch their agility on the wing and their playfulness in the wind.

Suddenly, I can see Withernsea, with its gleaming white lighthouse jutting out of the coast on the distant horizon.

Old Hive
As I reach Old Hive, a cut made by a dike outfall, the cliff is not as high, and I see dog and human footprints on the beach, so I decide to climb to the cliff top, making sure to step on previous footprints, as the clay is soft in places. I'm not sure this would have been doable on wet clay, but it is mostly dry and firm, so I first scramble up the cliff, then the dike and make it to the top. A pair of Stonechats, a Meadow Pipit and a pair of Linnets are on the rough ground by the dike. Old Hive marks the boundary mark between Easington and Holmpton, just a very long field to go. Huge chunks of this field, clearly planted this winter, have fallen onto the beach (the erosion post at Holmpton registers one of the fastest speeds of erosion at Holderness, 4.3 m per year).

A large chunk of field disappeared since the crop was planted this winter. Looking north towards Holmpton.

Rook on nest.

Holmpton

The trees of the village appear on the distance, a Buzzard calls, with rooks and gulls lazily chasing it. I get to the village and have a walk around. There are plenty of birds, a huge contrast with the deserted field. Tree Sparrows chirp from the hedges, Rooks busy on their nests.
I turn round and come down to the beach again at Old Hive, finding my footsteps on the beach. I find a lump of jurassic clay with an ammonite and bivalves, and a very nice example of armoured mud ball. Armoured mud balls result from eroded pieces of mud becoming covered with pebbles and small rocks, and then being rolled around in the sea. They tend to have elongated shapes and are very common under glacial till cliffs.

Jurassic fossils.

Armoured mud ball.

Featured bird: Common Gull

A small, agile gull which is mainly a winter visitor and passage migrant, although individuals can be seen year round in the area. It is an amber listed species due to population declines in the UK. Most of the wintering individuals in the area come from Scandinavia. They have a preference for feeding on the ground, and can often be seen in flocks on grassy fields feeding on worms. The spring passage occurs during March and early April.

Walk information

16.7 km, circular. Start: Easington Church car park. Finish at Holmpton Seaside Rd. No public toilets.

Migrants Way. Stage 2. Kilnsea to Easington

 A wonderfully calm day, sunny to start with then cloudier with sunny spells, but mild and no rain. A huge flock of starlings fly over the car as we get into the car park. We arrived at the Discovery Centre when a flock of over 20 Jackdaws and some Rooks flew over south. Meadow Pipits displayed around the car park, Skylarks singing. We walked on the clifftop to Beacon Lane. A Reed Bunting is busy hawking for midges or gnats - I had never seen them catching insects- while a Linnet sings.

Reed Bunting. 

Linnet.

After Beacon Lane we move onto the beach, where we walk all the way to Easington, with short stops along the way to watch Beacon Ponds. The tide is high, but falling. The cliffs are almost non existent alongside Beacon Lagoons, with dunes on the upper beach level. At some points the high tide has reached the lagoons. Behind the lagoons, the low lying land is protected with New Bank and Long Bank. The dunes have Marram grass, with patches of Sea Buckthorn in places. There won't be dunes on the walk until Wilsthorpe, south of Bridlington.

A patch of stabilised dunes with sea buckthorn.

Looking North towards Easington.

Dunes and new sand at the top of the beach.

A patch of reedbed at the beach.

Beacon Lagoons Nature Reserve
A series of saline lagoons, fringed by sand dunes and shingle on the seaward side, and by the New Bank on the landward side and with some coastal marsh. In early Ordnance Survey maps the site is marked with the word ‘saltings’ so it is likely that at least temporary salt water lagoons have existed south of Easington for over 100 years.  The modern lagoons were created as borrow pits to strengthen long bank in the late 1970s. They have been also called Easington Lagoons or Beacon Ponds. The area was bought in 1991 by the South Holderness Countryside Society. This is the only place in Yorkshire where Little Terns breed, and therefore is protected as a SSSI and an Area of Special Protection between 1st April and 31st August. The colony is wardened by the Spurn Bird Observatory during the breeding season, with a low electric fence that defends the ground nesting birds from land predators and disturbance from beach users. Ringed Plover, Avocet and Oystercatchers also breed. The Little Tern colony was very successful last year, with 39 chicks fledged by 25 pairs. Common and Sandwich terns are also regular in the reserve. Beacon Ponds is also an important roosting site for migratory waders from July to September, as they move from the Humber at high tide. Brent Geese, grebes and ducks use it in the winter. Wintering Snow Bunting and Shore Lark are also notable.

Roosting Oystercatcher, Ringed Plovers and Dunlin at Beacon Lagoons.

Ringed Plovers have a disruptive coloration that makes them almost disappear when they are on shingle.

Two Common Gulls in summer plumage rest on the beach.

We arrive to Seaside Lane at Easington. Some fishermen at the beach. On the cliff by the caravan park, a wonderful patch of Colt's Foot, with male mining bees (Andrena nigroaenea, thank you to Steven Falk for help with ID) awaiting a sunny spell.

 

A close up of mining bee to ID.

The base of the cliff in this area appears sheltered from the sea, with some Marram Grass and other plants growing on the sand. The reason becomes apparent when we reach the public footpath at the end of Vicar's Lane: the sea wall with a rock revetment protecting the Easington Gas terminal. Vicar's Lane makes for a pleasant walk. Many birds are singing, including Skylark, Song Thrush, Greenfinch and Chaffinch.

Song Thrush.

Greenfinch singing.

It is almost midday. We walk back along the road on Easington straight. Four Roe Deer feed by a ditch. 

We get to Kilnsea Wetlands hide for lunch.

Kilnsea Wetlands
A reserve managed by the YWT since 2012, built to compensate for erosion and encroachment of Beacon Lagoons. It has quickly become established as one of the highlights of a visit to the Spurn Area. It includes coastal grassland, wetlands, wet meadows, scrapes, managed with sheep; lagoons and small scrapes. There are currently two hides, the main one overlooks the main wetland, the other one sits opposite long bank marsh. As we are settling in the hide we hear Brent Geese flying over and the flock settles on the water for a few minutes, in front of the hide washing. Then they start calling a few times and the whole flock leaves towards the Humber. Four Whooper Swans are about, and plenty of ducks.

A Curlew with plastic rings. Note to self: Must report it.

Whooper Swans.

Brent Goose.

After lunch we are back on the road and along Canal Bank. I finally have a good luck and identify a Marsh Harrier that we've been seeing all morning as it slowly moved south along the peninsula.

A view towards the lighthouse, with Brent Goose.

Marsh Harrier flying south.

Featured bird: Avocet

Today one pair of Avocets was present at Beacon Lagoons and another at Kilnsea Wetlands. This Amber listed wader, is mainly a summer visitor in the area, although they can return quite early. There is a stablished breeding colony at Kilnsea Wetlands and Beacon Ponds. 

Walk information
13.3 km, circular. Start: YWT Discovery Centre TA416154. Finish at Easington Vicar’s Ln Road. Parking, Pay and Display, free to YWT members, just display your membership card. Toilets available at the Discovery centre and at the Blue Bell car park.

Migrants Way. Stage 1. Spurn Head to Kilnsea

A sunny day with a westerly wind and long sunny spells, especially in the morning, it seemed like a great day to start Migrants Way, the first leg on the walk between Spurn Head and Filey Brigg that I'll be doing this year. There was a spring tide of 7 m at Spurn, so, after a quick stop at the Discovery Centre to check the times to avoid the breach, we started our walk at 9 am with a falling tide, giving plenty of time to cross back. As we started, three Jackdaws flew over, calling, appearing to dither, but eventually flying west. Jackdaws are not resident in Spurn, so these must have been migrants. Spurn is one of the best sites in the country to observe migration, the observatory has records of 500 bird species, and the Spurn Bird Observatory is one of the top in the country. It is a long curved peninsula curving around the mouth of the Humber estuary. The combination of the rich mudflats of the Humber, the sandy dunes and wetlands, and the geographical location in Spurn favouring it as a migration hotspot makes it one of my favourite places in East Yorkshire.

Looking south towards the wash over.

And now looking north

These Hebridean sheep on Chalk Bank appeared quite disappointed when they trotted towards us and realised we had no food!

A tank defence wall near the lighthouse.

The lighthouse door.

The mudflats and beach were very wide was we crossed the wash over. The mark of the previous high tide did not cross over the thin strip of land to Spurn Point. Three birds flew over onto the beach: Ringed Plovers, my first this year.

Ringed Plover.

On the mudflats, a loose group of Grey Plovers, more Ringed Plovers, a skittish flock of Knot and a sprinkle of Dunlin and Redshank. In the distance, alerted by their 'rot-rot' calls, some Brent Geese.

Grey Plover.

There is a spring feeling in the air, but the breeze is cold. We reach Chalk Bank, a wider area before the lighthouse that is managed as a meadow by the YWT by Hebridean sheep grazing. We enter the first hide. The waders are a long way out, but we can see the patches of Dwarf Eelgrass, Zostera noltei, on the estuary side. This is a habitat of conservation concern. We can also see the oyster beds that have been set on the estuary.
 We reach the buildings at the Point at 11:30, and make our way around the scrub on the spoon-shaped end of the peninsula on narrow paths used by Roe Deer, flanked by thorny branches of sea buckthorn. This is a strange island-like place, with derelict military buildings encroached by a thicket of Privet, Sea Buckthorn and other bushes, with a few scattered trees. Large tankers pass by, entering the Humber, the Lincolnshire coast on the distance.

An out of place, but very healthy clump of Cordyline australis rising over the dunes..

Finally, a sandy path opens amongst Marram Grass and we are at the southern end of Spurn Point!

The low tide reveals how much sand and shingle appears to have accumulated on the point with fresh sand butting against eroded old dunes. A Cormorant and a few Great Black-backed gulls loaf on the Stony Binks. We carry on our walk north on the beach and climb the sandy path up the dune to the lighthouse, where we meet two walkers who have just seen a Red Kite migrating overhead. After a quick picnic, we move on. We walk on the road this time, and make good time on the return walk.

Crumbling defences, pillbox and the lighthouse.

A female Stonechat by the lighthouse

Kestrel.

Knot

A male Stonechat by the Warren, one of three in this area.

The sea

The North Sea is a macrotidal system, with a range of up to 7 m between low and high tide. The sea is not very deep offshore, as it sits on the continental shelf, although it includes submarine glacial valleys and flooded lakes. The coast is made up of soft Pleistocene glacial tills from Spurn until just south of Bridlington. Coastal erosion puts in suspension the clay in the cliffs onto the sea. The sea often has two colours, a muddy brown near shore and the blue offshore. North of Bridlington the coast rises and is formed by large chalk cliffs formed in the cretaceous.

Featured bird: Ringed Plover
Ringed Plovers are breeding residents at Spurn, but they are difficult to see during the winter. They feed on coastal mudflats and beaches, with a characteristic stop-start rhythm. Spring peak counts in Spurn are at the end of May. Migrants include race tundrae, which breeds in the Arctic in Scandinavia and Russia.

Walk information

13 km, circular. Start: YWT Discovery Centre TA416154. Finish at Spurn Head ("the point"). Parking, Pay and Display, free to YWT members, just display your membership card. Toilets available at the Discovery centre and at Spurn Point. 

The land of Spurn Head belongs to the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. The Humber estuary has several figures of protection. It a Special Protection Area, a SSSI, and a Ramsar site, mainly due to its internationally importance for wintering wading birds. Spurn Head is a National Nature Reserve and forms part of a Heritage Coast. Spurn holds its own bird Observatory (SBO), which carries a range of activities, including ringing, vismigging, and sea watches, and the organisation of the annual Migration Festival. Check the website for details.

UPDATE. I have amended the eelgrass species, after Andy Gibson noted the species in Spurn it is Z. noltei.