I park by the sea wall at Paull. The tide is low, and there is light cloud with a few sunny spells developing later. It is very mild, with little or no wind. I climb the sea wall and walk up the estuary towards Hedon Haven.
A dozen Curlews feed on an arable field by the village called South Pastures, a reminder that much land by the estuary was flooded at spring tides and was therefore grazed. After the sea wall was built to protect the village from flooding, the field could be ploughed and used for crops.
From the other side of the wall, I hear the hoarse croaks of squabbling Shelducks. Many of them are scattered across extensive mudflats feeding on the wet mud.
Chasing Shelducks.
Shelducks feeding on the mudflats by Paull village.
A couple of Cormorants make use of wooden structures marking the deeper section of the Hedon Haven channel.
The tidal river that is Hedon Haven roars down, swollen by yesterday's rain all the way up to Pollard Clough (top shot). The Clough is a sluice which prevents sea water from going upstream during high tides and eases flow at low tide, preventing flooding upstream. Teal, redshank and a lone Black-tail Godwit rest on the shore...
and a Curlew feeds on the other side of the Haven.
The old carcass of a large ship is beached on the saltmarsh opposite, like a fossil witness of the era when Hedon Haven was used for navigation, holding a fleet of
shrimping boats.
I cross the clough and continue on the other side of the Clough, downstream.
I am surprised to see a pair of Roe Deer, at the other side of the fence on the Salt End grounds, with the towering presence of a cooling tower of the power station as background. They seem completely unperturbed and carry on grazing.
Female Roe deer.
Male Roe Deer.
There are a few ponds with some grassland around. On the path the remains of gravid frogs, the uneaten spawn of at least three, maybe eaten by a fox.
I reach the end of the path, with a metalling fence blocking the way around the Salt End site, so I return towards Paull. The clouds are parting and is noticeably warmer
I get a straight view towards the Humber Bridge, with the exposed mudflats and feeding birds on them.
The beach at Paull, with a couple of rotting boats. The shipyard is on the background on the left.
The sea defences at Paull are being repaired or replaced around the shipyard and just north of the lighthouse. This is the view from the street, into a courtyard. Instead of making the sea wall higher in front of the houses, a reinforced glass window has been placed atop the wall, allowing the visitors and locals a view of the Humber.
Paull Lighthouse.
The long glass wall around Paull.
As I cross the playing fiend by the sea well works, a Small Tortoiseshell, my first butterfly of the year flies past, setting ahead on a mole hill.
I take a little detour into the woods by Paull Fort, which is on a small promontory (about 10 m high) on a glacial moraine, which also explain other hills near Paull. I flush a Woodcock from the undergrowth just by the ditch around the fort wall.
I continue into the old sea wall holding two lighthouses. This is Paull Holme Strays, which I will explore more fully in the next stage.
I have lunch on the wall by the red lighthouse. Past the breach, a flock of Golden Plover circles and then settles on the mudflats. There are Lapwing, Redshank, Dunlin, lots of Wigeon and Curlews. Again, a telescope would be very useful as the birds are mostly distant.
Golden Plover.
Carrion Crow on drift wood.
The western breach at Paull Holme Strays.
Meadow Pipit. Just landed from its parachute song display.
Some House Sparrows sand bathing on the side of the road at Paull village.
Time to head back home, really looking forward to the next stage!
Featured Bird: Shelduck
The Shelduck is our largest duck and it can be found in the Humber all year round. It is a striking bird, hard to confuse with anything else and easy to identify even at long distances due to its bold colour patterns. They appear black and white in the distance or at poor light, but on close views its bright vermillion red legs and bill and dark green metallic head and maroon bands become apparent. The male is visibly larger than the female, with a large knob on the bill. Shelduck are Amber status, and the Humber holds over 4,000 individuals during winter and a moulting aggregation in late summer, when these ducks are unable to fly and therefore vulnerable. They also breed in the area.
Today's stage walk, 9.37 km.
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