Urban birding at Hull: Sculcoates week 43

A cloudy, cool day, with a strong autumnal feel. It is an hour before high tide when I get to the playing fields and gulls are assembled in their roosts. Herring Gulls on one end, 21 of them, Black-headed gulls at the other, 51. There are a few scattered Common Gulls and a single Lesser Black-backed gull too.

Lesser Black-backed gull, Black-headed gull and Common Gull.

In the drain, a flock of Long-tailed Tits and Blue tits feed on the poplars, which are quickly losing their leaves.

Long-tailed Tit.

At the cemetery, a pair of Bullfinches and a Chaffinch were feeding on bramble seeds.

Male Bullfinch.

Chaffinch.

It's high tide and the Wilmington bridge is opening to let a barge through. As the bridge is completely open I scan the river wall and there is a Redshank roost, on the exact same spot they liked last year. I count six (top shot). As the barge goes through, and some workmen are on the wall by Rix, the Redshank vanish.

A barge goes down river. 

The Redshank now awake.

A Pied Wagtail calls from Trent Aggregates.

A very wet cat by the drain. Looks like it fell or crossed the drain!

Urban birds at Hull. 27. Whooper Swan

Whooper Swans are migratory, the British population breeds in Iceland and flies to overwinter in the North and East of the UK. Whoopers are slightly smaller than Mute Swans and have a yellow wedge-shape mark in the bill, and a thinner neck than Mute Swans, which they carry more straight. 

Status and distribution in Hull

Whoopers are most often seen during migration in Hull, usually in clear, still mornings. Records are becoming more regular with several sightings per year. Flocks fly in neat V formations, calling, as opposed to the wing-beat noise of Mute Swans. Peak migration time is the end of March and the end of October. The largest flock recorded over Hull recently comprised 42 individuals migrating North flying low over Princes Avenue on 10th March 2017.

Part of the 42 strong Whooper Swan flock on 10th March 2017.

The whole flock on 10th March 2017.

A flock of 10 individuals crossing the Humber, 24th October 2021.

Lone Whooper flying East by the General Cemetery, 15th October 2021.

The closest wintering populations are the Lower Derwent Valley, and in the Humber. Groups also roost at North Cave Wetlands. Occasional lone individuals remain in Hull during winter, or might spend a few days on an urban lake, usually in the company of Mute Swans, possibly having become separated from their flock. In March 1997 and in the winter of 1998 a quite approachable individual spent some time in East Park (above, a photo from a printed photo, those were the days before digital cameras!). This was my first Whooper Swan. In spring 2019, a young individual spent some time at Oak Road Lake, in the company of the resident Mute Swan family, between the 10th April and the 29th May. 

Young Whooper Swan with mute swans at Oak Road Lake, 12th April 2019.

Young Whooper Swan, 12th April 2019.

Although tameness in lone Whoopers could be a result individuals being escapees from collections, wild Whooper swans are fed daily in some nature reserves in the UK in the winter (e.g. WWT Martin Mere and Caerlaverock) so even wild individuals, particularly when in the company of the tame Mute Swans, could become approachable.

4th May 2019. Oak Road Lake

29th May 2019. Oak Road Lake

Conservation

Whooper Swans are Amber listed birds in the UK, although the wintering British population is increasing. The results of the latest coordinated nationwide count of wintering migrating swans in January 2020 estimated over 43,000 individuals, a 27% increase since 2015.

More information

WWT Wild Swan monitoring. here.

Broughton, Richard K. 2002. Birds of the Hull area. Kingston Press. Hull, UK.

Urban birds at Hull. 26. Cormorant

 The Cormorant is a large, statuesque black fishing bird. In close views, their plumage is shiny, scaly and with metallic tones. There is a yellow bare area around the bill and they have bottle green eyes. During the breeding season adult Cormorants develop a white patch on chin, and thighs and a fluffy white covering on the neck, the yellow on the bill becomes a brighter orange. Immatures have variable white undersides.

A Cormorant in breeding plumage at Oak Road Lake, 2nd March 2021.

Immature Cormorant at East Park, 2nd February 2020.

Cormorants spend much of their time sitting on prominent perches: pylons, floodlights and chimneys, often overlooking water. They float low on the water and dive expertly after fish. After a diving session, they often sit on their perch with wings outstretched. They can be found in singles or in groups.

Two populations breed in the UK, a coastal breeding population (Phalacrocorax carbo carbo) and an inland breeding population (P. carbo sinensis), which expanded into the UK since the early 80s. Identification is not easy and requires close views of the gular pouch.

Cormorant on floodlight neat the River Hull at Sculcoates, 4th September, 2021.

Two Cormorants rest atop a chimney in the Old Town by the River Hull. 22nd August 2021.

Cormorants drying their wings by the mouth of the River Hull at the Deep, 9th February 2021.

Spot the Cormorant on the pylon by the River Hull at Stoneferry.

Status and distribution in Hull

Cormorants can be seen year round, and flyover individuals can be seen from any point in Hull. They don't breed in the area, but in the breeding season there are always non-breeders around, although they are more abundant from August to March. The River Hull, the large drains and the docks are good sites to watch them. It is also worth checking pylons, where they can be easily missed. They will also fish in all fishing lakes and public parks in the city, but they tend to avoid busy periods and are easily overlooked.

A cormorant feeds at Oak Road Lake, 21 July 2021.

12th June 2021. Cormorant flying over Pickering Park.

Cormorant trying to swallow a flounder in the River Hull near Stoneferry, 13th April, 2021.

Two Cormorants fly over the River Hull, 29th March 2021. Note the white thighs and whitish neck on the bird on the rear.

Conservation and Management

Cormorants are regarded as not of conservation concern, and are currently Green listed. The inland breeding population appears to be increasing in size, while the coastal population is decreasing.

More information

Broughton, R.K. 2002. Birds of the Hull Area. Kingston Press. Hull, UK.

Urban birding at Hull: Sculcoates week 42

A mild, gloomy rainy day, I take the usual route around the Sculcoates patch. A 40 strong flock of Starlings are feeding on the playing fields, and about 50 Goldfinches are moving across the birches. I spot two Pied Wagtails on the grass too.

Pied Wagtail.

I make a longer than usual stop at the Sculcoates bridge, as a Water Vole has been seen recently there. All year I've been hoping to connect with them, but no joy for me today. A Little Grebe was around, but it diver as it saw me, so I only got Moorhens and Mallards in the photo.

The highlight of the north Cemetery is the first Goldcrest of the autumn. Three Canada fly over. I also looked for slugs, given the ideal weather for them.

Arion vulgaris.

Deroceras reticulatum

A nice clump of male ferns in the south cemetery at Sculcoates.

White-lipped snails.

Rough Woodlice.

I move onto the river. Two Redshanks are feeding on the mudflats, one downstream and another upstream of Wilmington bridge. There are a dozen Black-headed Gulls and mostly immature Herring Gulls in their usual spot. A Moorhen is at the water's edge by the bridge.

Redshank.

Moorhen.

Common Inkcap.

Migration at Stone Creek

A dark, cloudy morning, I take a stroll around Stone Creek. As I arrive, there is a large flock of Mallard on stubbles, with a few Curlew and Pheasants. The tide is ebbing and is quite low when I get to the creek. I hear Pink-footed Geese, but I only see a flock moving west later. It is a while since I've been at Stone Creek, and looking out I get the impression that the saltmarsh is growing on this section of the Humber.

Mallard on stubbles.

A Little Egret drops at Ottringham Drain and when I get there there is a Grey Heron too.

Grey Heron.

Little Egret.

Five Little Grebes are feeding at Keyingham Drain.

Little Grebes.

I spend some time scanning the exposed mudflats by the creek. There are 8 Redshank, a couple of Curlew and 5 Shelduck. Another Little Egret is feeding there.

Shelduck.

Little Egret.

Curlew.

Three Snipe fly south, calling. A Marsh Harrier is quartering the marsh. There is a large Golden Plover flock out in the salt marsh. 

I walk West on the floodbank path. The ditch by the bank is lined by hawthorns and nervous flocks of Redwing feeding on the berries. Three Swallows fly in circles around poplar at Stone Creek House. I hear a Jay and then flush it from the hawthorns. There are a lot of Jays migrating, possibly due to a poor oak mast this year in the continent. The Marsh Harrier passes west and then over the floodbank onto the fields.

Yellowhammers.

Golden Plover.

Golden Plover.

Marsh Harrier.

Redwing.

I return to the creek. A Greenshank is now feeding by the water, bobbing like a Redshank when alarmed.

Greenshank.

Before I leave, I spot a Common Seal hauled out on a board. It seems a bit uneasy at my presence so, after a few snaps, I let it be. It looks like it had been previously rescued, as it had a yellow plastic tag on its flipper: BR028.

Harbour Seal.