Hornsea Mere is the largest freshwater lake in Yorkshire and was formed at the end of the Ice Age.

Due to its closeness to the North Sea, the lake attracts a variety of wintering birds including gadwalls, goldeneyes, and tufted ducks.

The mere's reedbeds provide breeding sites for hundreds of pairs of reed warblers. It is also an important site for little gulls which congregate in large numbers in autumn.

The mere's reedswamps are of special interest with a number of scarce craneflies, dance-flies, snail-killing flies and moths.

Visit the web chat with Paul Hudson.