Fresh life at the park

I had a long walk around Pearson Park and the wildlife garden this morning. There was some threat of showers, and I decided this was a safe option not to get too soaked if it rained. The Mallards and Greylags had started to moult, with some greylag flight feathers around and the drake mallards starting to look worn. I looked unsuccessfully for Sparrowhawk feathers though, and I didn't see them today. There were a good number of recently fledged birds, and signs of some birds having started a second brood, like a pigeon egg shell and blackbirds collecting food on their bills.

 I enjoyed a sunny spell in the wildlife garden, where I watched the first Common Blue butterfly and Azure damselflies in the pond.

Discarded pigeon egg shell from a successfully hatched chick.

Mallard brooding her eight newly hatched ducklings.

This carrion crow did not look in good condition. It kept its bill open and looked like it could be afflicted by trichomoniasis.

A Stock dove looking for nest material under the oak trees.

The Mistle Thrushes have fledged. There were two fledglings on the grass, feeding by themselves, and also chasing their parents and occasionally being given some food. This lucky one got a large earthworm.

Mistle thrush fledglings have a very speckled back and head, unlike the more brown-grey plain adult upper parts.

This fledged Woodpigeon tried very hard to walk by its parent. The adult discouraged it from begging by pecking it every time it did. Time to feed by yourself!

I am not quite sure what is happening with the Moorhen pair. The nest was left a few times and this adult was on it for a while, but did not settle on it.

Several Speckled Wood butterflies were basking by the park conservatory.

This fresh male Common Blue was sunbathing on the meadow of the Wildlife Garden.

There were leaf cutter bees too.  This female Megachile, prob willughbiella, fed on Fox and Cubs.

A Collared dove drinking on a puddle.

Green Shieldbug, Palomena prasina.

There were two male Azure Damselfly on the pond, apparently fighting for their territory.

Bird List

1. Blackbird  
2. Blue Tit  
3. Canada Goose  
4. Carrion Crow  
5. Chaffinch  
6. Coal Tit  
7. Collared Dove  
8. Dunnock  
9. Feral Pigeon  
10. Goldfinch  
11. Great Tit  
12. Greenfinch  
13. Greylag Goose  
14. Herring Gull  
15. House Martin  
16. House Sparrow  
17. Magpie  
18. Mallard  
19. Mistle Thrush  
20. Moorhen  
21. Robin  
22. Song Thrush  
23. Starling  
24. Stock Dove  
25. Swift  
26. Woodpigeon  
27. Wren 

June in the Wetlands

It felt summery today in the wetlands, and I quite enjoyed showing my parents my favourite patch. Many active invertebrates, with Speckled Wood, whites, Red Admiral and the first Common Blue butterfly of the year (above), dragonflies and a couple of beetles. We were lucky to surprise a cub fox as we were leaving Turret hide, and luckier still to grab a quick record shot. A dead mole and they many usual rabbits completed the mammal count.

The Mediterranean gull checking the nest contents.

Male Common Blue Damselfly

Black-headed gull calling 'kek, kek!' from atop turret hide

They grow so fast! These chicks pestered their parent for food after an entertaining session of flight exercises.

Avocet feeding

The fox cub spying us before running off.

A wet, and very dead mole

Cawing rook. A large mixed flock of Rooks, Crows and Jackdaws fed on the freshly ploughed maize field.

Four spotted chaser. A female was laying eggs on the first dragonfly pond.

Male lapwing with chicks. One of the chicks was stranded in the other side of north path...

...and mummy came brave to the rescue, calling her sad call, showing her chest...

...dragging her wings pretending to be injured, and completely mesmerising us (and making us forget where the chick went)

A Robin and fledgling sunbathing

Female Common Blue damselfy

Pied Wagtail

Little Ringed Plover

The lone black swan.

Yorkshire Belle trip to Breil Newk

We had a trip to Bridlington and checked the trip times for the Yorkshire Belle, a boat that regularly visits Flamborough Head and Bempton Cliffs. We joined the trip to Breil Newk scheduled for 2:00 pm. The sea was calm and the skies blue, a mild, lovely day for a trip to the cliffs. The skipper warned us that on the south side of the headland marine birds are much scarcer than in the north side, and this was indeed remarkable. Going north we met a few flocks of Kittiwakes flying north and a raft of Common Scoters which seemed to find it hard to settle, some Shags and Herring gulls, but as soon as we turned around the headland hundreds of birds surrounded the boat: Guillemots, Razorbills, fair numbers of Puffins and Kittiwakes, with a few Fulmars and Gannets. Clouds of auks whirred around us, diving or flying overhead to and from their nests on the cliff ledges. The sight of the lighthouse on the headland with the clouds of kittiwakes flying over the sea (above) was most amazing.

The number of urban Kittiwakes in Bridlington appear to be increasing. Many windowsills and ledges had several pairs and some nests were under construction.

The colony on the outer harbour wall had many more pairs than last year.

A street sign

This Herring gull had a spacious nest site atop a bay window. At least three chicks could be seen at some point.

A fledgling Starling by the harbour following its busy parent

A small group of Kittiwakes flying north

A boat feeding the seabirds.

Common Scoter raft by the south side of the headland.

Breil Newk

Flamborough new Lighthouse

Burton Bushes bluebells

Bluebell season is on its best now and the closest bluebell wood to us is the Burton Bushes, next to Beverley Westwood. Large thrifts of them carpeted the woodland floor amongst gnarled oaks and hollies, while the Wood Anemones were well past their best. Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and a Mistle Thrush sung and we briefly spotted a treecreeper. We also walked on the west side of the Westwood too, around the golf course. A Skylark sung high in the sky, and mixed flocks of Rooks and Crows fed on the grass.

A view towards the south with the Black Mill in the background

Bluebells and the Burton Bushes.

Rooks and Crows amongst the buttercups

Noon fly, Mesembrina meridiana

Male Pied wagtail

Puff ball

A beautiful old oak with fresh foliage

Nomada flava on Hawkbit

Young rabbits

A sleepy rabbit

Rabbits feeding by a hedge

Male Blackbird singing

Hawthorn

Birds list

1. Blackbird
2. Blackcap
3. Blue Tit
4. Carrion Crow    
5. Chaffinch
6. Chiffchaff
7. Goldfinch
8. Great Tit
9. House Sparrow    
10. Kestrel   
11. Long-tailed Tit    
12. Magpie    
13. Mistle Thrush
14. Pied Wagtail
15. Robin
16. Rook    
17. Skylark    
18. Starling    
19. Swallow
20. Treecreeper
21. Woodpigeon    
22. Wren