Spurn and Kilnsea spring migration

 Last year with the lockdown I missed the spectacle that is Spurn during migration. I hadn't visited since October with the various restrictions on movement and that had to be addressed. The weather forecast wasn't great, with drizzle and rain all morning and quite cold at 5oC. I first made a stop at Kilnsea Wetlands. Sand Martins and two Swallows hunted low over the water. A Cuckoo called.

What is it about Shelduck and hay bales?

Summer plumage  Bar-tailed Godwit.

The bird to look for was a drake Garganey. A birder who had travelled from the Peak District pointed it out to me, initially hiding in the shoreline, only the top of its head visible. Later it gave much better views. It was a first for me, I've seen Garganey before, but never a drake.

Drake Garganey.

Linnet with nicely marked chest.

I saw 9 Wheatears spread around the fields.

This Redshank landed momentarily in front of the hide, but moved on to join the rest at the roost.

Meadow pipit.

Little Ringed Plover.

Shelduck.

Brown Hares.

The lone, long staying Whooper swan. It has an odd mark on the neck.

Oystercatchers.

I moved onto Beacon Ponds. A Common Sandpiper and a distant Greenshank were the highlights.

On the ponds and scrapes at Kilnsea Wetlands there were some Bar-tailed Godwits and Whimbrel feeding together.

This odd looking pipit was also in the area. It was pale and with a plain head and back, with neat chest stripes. It turned up to be a Meadow Pipit.

Meadow Pipit.

One of many Whimbrels today.

Sparrowhawk.

Little Egret.

First Swift.

I met up with Bethan Clyne and we walked around the triangle. When at Long Bank, I spotted a Great White Egret in amongst a reedy pond. It then flew to Canal Scrape but it didn't last much there. I can't believe I saw a Little Egret just an hour before the GWE this year!

Large flocks of Brent Geese moved back and forth. This group was feeding by the Crown and Anchor.

As I returned to Kilnsea Wetlands, I saw that the Great White Egret had returned there, and I managed some shots. The rain had become stronger and the light was quite poor.

Nice to see the plumes of its breeding plumage.

A Cuckoo called and showed quite well, but with reeds in front and behind, it proved hard to focus. It was also raining quite hard, had to keep wiping my camera lense.

Cuckoo.

The rain had soaked my shoes and gloves and after my lunch in the car I just couldn't warm up so it was time to call it a day. But, despite the weather, what a day! A total of 64 sp today and added 18 sp to my year list. I can't wait to go back!

Hull urban birds. 18. Tree sparrow

I wasn't sure if I would be able count Tree Sparrow as a Hull bird as I started the series, but last week I was very pleased to  come across one on the edge of the city at Bransholme. Tree Sparrows differ from House Sparrows by their chestnut brown caps and a black spot on their cheek. They are smaller than House Sparrows and can be shier, keeping to inside bushes and hedgerows, where they can be detected by their call ('tek, tek!'). Male and females look alike. Their favoured habitat are lowland farmland, woodland edges and villages. They are cavity nesters, breeding in holes in trees, hedges or buildings. They readily use nest boxes.

Tree Sparrow. Noddle Hill, 17 March 2014.

Distribution and status in Hull

In keeping with the national trend, Tree Sparrows are much scarcer in Hull than they used to be, although a few pairs are still clinging on as resident breeding birds at a few locations on the north and east outskirts of the city, where a few visit private gardens.

A record shot of a lone Tree Sparrow by the Beverley and Barmston drain. 6 October 2020, possibly an migrant.

Conservation

Tree sparrows suffered a staggering population decline in the UK: a 95% drop between 1970 and 1998. These populations declines affected the Hull population and are described vividly by Richard Broughton in his 'Birds of the Hull Area". Since then, the population has been stable or increasing, but records in the Hull area have been very scarce, with apparent loses of known colonies (Snuff Mill Lane, Noddle Hill LNR), although sizeable winter flocks have been recorded in recent years according to BTO Birdtrack records, eg. 90 in January 2016 at and 50 in December 2014 at Castle Hill area; 30 in September 2018 at Priory Road; 30 in November 2020). The BTOs Breeding Bird survey shows that population size tripled in Yorkshire and the Humber from 1994 to 2019, but starting from very low levels. They are in the The Birds of Conservation Concern 5 Red list and have a UK and Hull Biodiversity Action plan. Their population declines appear to respond to changes during winter, probably due to lack of food as agricultural practices changed and intensified as with other farmland birds. The loss of winter stubbles, field margins and wetlands are also linked to their decline.

Tree Sparrow by Holderness Drain pumping station. 20/04/2021 (also top shot).

Management

Tree Sparrows respond very well to conservation practices. They are thriving in local nature reserves (North Cave Wetlands, Bempton Cliffs) providing them with nest boxes and supplementary winter food. They are a very social species, so several nest boxes can be placed together. Encouraging members of the public and local farmers to install next boxes and feed Tree Sparrows in the winter near existing colonies might aid with the recovery of the Hull population.

A mixed flock including at last 29 Tree Sparrows under the feeders at North Cave Wetlands. 7/01/2020.

Tree sparrow in nest box at Bempton Cliff NR.

More information

BTO Birdfacts Tree Sparrow.

Operation Tree Sparrow. RSPB website.

Broughton, Richard K. Birds of the Hull Area.

Urban birding in Hull: A walk around North Bransholme

 A sunny, but cool morning, I parked at Kesteven way by Foredyke Green, the start of a circular walk around North Bransholme. I started by walking along Wilberforce Wood/Midmeredales. Many Willow Warblers were singing, with some Chiffchaff and Blackcaps and a Whitethroat, I managed a record shot, still very skulking.

Whitethroat.

Midmeredales pond, very full, despite the ongoing drought.

A flying Sparrowhawk ended all the song. 

After walking back and forth along Midmeredales I popped at the Foredyke Green pond. The water has subsided a bit and much of the path is now walkable. The pair of Moorhens had 4 chicks, but the pair of Mallards don't appear to be nesting yet. I looked around but no signs of Odonata yet.

Foredyke Green Pond.

I crossed Bude Road and walked along the lovely green corridor along Holwell road. I was surprised to hear a Lesser Whitethroat singing from the tall hedgerow. It appeared to be responding to a Chaffinch singing. I managed a few record shots (top).

Lesser Whitethroat.

Holwell rd area.

Holwell rd area.

Female Blackcap drinking from blackthorn flowers.

I crossed Wawne Road and walked by Cumbrian Way. There are old hedges and newly planted trees and grassland. A ditch, Old Main drain, had just some water. I scanned the fields. Two hares were on one of them by Noddle Hill LNR. A Pheasant called. 

No bluebells yet at Bluebell Way.

Fresh Specked Wood. One of several seen today.

I took a detour to visit Ash Plantation, a copse that is now part of the green areas of the estate. It was lovely to realise that there is a rookery on it, with about 10 active nests. Rooks went back and forth, some feeding either hungry incubating females or noisy chicks. The plantation has plenty of old wood, a good undergrowth cover and informative panels describing the plants and trees that can be found. Red campion was in bloom.

A view of Ash Plantation.

Rook nests and rook.

Ash plantation.

I returned to Cumbrian Way, which bends around the edge of the city limits and walked along a footpath by the fields.

Jackdaw.

Rook walking on a field.

Hull sign at Wawne Road. 

I was back by the Foredyke Green pond for my lunch. As I approached the pond a Kingfisher flew off, my first Kingfisher in the site. I had it watching a crow that had an eye on the Moorhen chicks. One of the adults gather all kept the chicks while the other went to chase the crow.