Weeks of dismal weather has meant that I have not been out too often, and when I have been out there has been little of interest. However, last monday I got out for a walk up to Eske. The flooding from the rain the previous monday was still very bad and much of the surrounding farmland was still under a few feet of water, turning the whole place into a massive wetland.

At the polo club a group of Tufted Ducks were swimming on what should have been the pitch and a large number of gulls were resting on it: 42 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 12 Herring Gulls, 5 Common Gulls and 10 unidentifed sub-adult Herring/Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Also present were a pair of Oystercatchers.

Large numbers of House Martins. Swallows and Swifts were feeding over the water and a female Kestrel was hunting over what little dry land remained.

On the lake, about 40 Mallard were reaching eclipse plumage and a apir of Shoveler were resting along with the male Wigeon and female Goldeneye. All the Great Crested Grebes were swimming around aimlessly as if wondering what had happened to their nests.

Further along the river 8 Grey Herons were hunting amongst flooded oilseed rape and 3 Cormorants, 24 Greylag Geese, 7 Mute Swans and a Great-crested Grebe were making use of a flooded barley field, whilst a pair of Marsh Harriers hunted over it.

On the way back I spotted large numbers of Bee orchids just finishing flowering and about 40 spikes of Pyramidal Orchid. A few Common Spotted Orchid were flowering too. Most interesting was a Common Sandpiper on the River Hull on the way back. Perhaps some waders are already making the return journey southwards?