Stoneferry to Foredyke Green along the river Hull

I wasn't planning this walk in the morning, as I was going to walk the old course of the Foredyke Green to join Hull Nats at Wilberforce Wood. In the event, a Peregrine deflected my walk and sent me up the river Hull. The forecast had been for cloudy weather most of the day, instead, there were long sunny spells and warm conditions with a very light breeze, ideal for insects. The peregrine, on its favourite building, was plucking and eating its prey, probably a Feral Pigeon. I hid behind a fence, taking photos from between the bars. When it stopped feeding, it swiped its bill clean on the edge of the alcove, and looked around. After taking some photos I left it on its ledge and continued on my new path. 

Peregrine feeding.

Atop its perch.

I hoped that I could tick the Common Sandpipers near B&Q. The tide though, was very high and rising.An alarm called my attention, it heralded event that I don't see very often these days, the twin bridges of Stoneferry opening for a boat to pass. It was a small boat and the bridges didn't completely lift up, luckily, I thought, for the Swallows that nest under the bridge. I waved at the people on the boat as the boat passed, and waited until the surface of the river settled again. Maybe the sandpipers won't happen today anyway.

The Swallows landed on the bridge shortly after it went down. I hope eggs or chicks on the nest won't have been dislodged.

With such a high tide I thought I wouldn't risk it on the soft banks of the west side, so I walked on the East side. It a hard surfaced bank in its first stretch, with moorings and a short lane called Ferry Lane. Buddleias laden with sweet blossom dot the bank and there were a range of butterflies, manly nymphalids.

Small Tortoiseshell.

Painted Lady.

Peacock.

Just as I had taken this photo of the peacock a small bird flew past behind the buddleia and landed on a fence. A quick look with my binoculars and I got very excited: a Black Redstart! I managed some photos as it perched on the fence, likely an adult female. Would it be nesting nearby? It is peak breeding season for Black Redstarts, a species I hadn't seen in Hull since 2022 at Albert Dock, and also species 95 for my 100 birds in Hull challenge. The screeching noise of the cranes lifting metal of the scrapyard opposite grate against this lovely sighting, it couldn't be a more fitting habitat!

Black redstart.

Three large old warehouses have recently been cleared in this plot. Herring anf Lesser Black-backed gulls were loafing on the ground. The warehouse to the right of the photo has several Lesser Black-backed pairs with grown chicks.

About 20 Swifts descended over the river, and disappeared again.

I continue up river until Sutton Bridge, then I head for Bude Park. Several tethered horses graze on the grassland. A new aquagreen has been created, and it looks like it was full in the winter, the field next to it bare but for a few scattered plants. I continue by ASDA into Wilberforce Wood.

Aquagreen Bude Park.

The temporary pond at Wilberforce Wood is teeming with tiny ground hoppers.

I sit by the Foredyke Green Pond to have my packed lunch and do some dragonfly watching. The weather is  perfect for it, and I list 8 species on the wing.

Brown Hawker ovipositing.

Ruddy Darter.

Emperor leaving oviposition site.

Male Broad-bodied Chaser.

Migrant Hawker.

I meet up with Hull Nats after that and we walk in a circuit around Wilberforce Wood. There are many butterflies on the wing and Roesel's and Coneheads are calling.

Brimstone

Roesel's

Peacock.

Red Admiral.