Wild at Hull: Fresh life at the park

Monday, 9 June 2014

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.