The weather forecast for today was of no rain and sunny spells, so I drove to Kingswood by the bridge over the River Hull to walk to Wawne. This stage goes through the last of the farmland in the Hull city council area, which is disappearing fast to development, and enters the East Riding of Yorkshire. The twin bridge carrying the A1033 road is the last in a long stretch, as there are no bridges until Grovehill Bridge, north of Weel. There used to be a ferry at Wawne, which stopped by 1946. Indeed, the still called Ferry Lane at Wawne was the end of the stage.
I join the bank after going through the underpass under the twin bridge. The grassy bank is not as muddy as I was expecting. As soon as I start, over the noise of the busy road and building construction, I notice the song of Skylarks. Them, and the occasional Reed Bunting song, accompany me through the stage. A few Linnets fly over, they are the first of the year for me. A roe deer feeds on the other side of the river. Overall, a relatively long stage, given the return by the meandering river, but quite pleasant and yielding 39 bird species.
Cormorants, posing, all sculptural atop pylons. Every pylon by the river had a few resting. There are few large trees by the river and the pylons seem to suit them.
Floodlights are used in the same way by a Kestrel.
A Greylag sitting on the other side of the river.
Roe Deer.
A bend in the river looking north.
A wetland created a few years ago by the river bank, possibly to compensate for development, I could find no name for it on maps. It is now fringed by reed beds.
A pair of mute swans, coot, moorhen and mallard were in residence in the wetlands.
Another cormorant on a pylon, this one in breeding plumage.
There are occasional willows, almost in bloom, ash and patches of reedbed by the river side.
Male Reed Bunting.
Linnet
On a set aside field a large flock of Linnets move about. I notice a couple of Yellowhammers like flaming suns on the ground. When they fly, another one joins them.
A male Meadow pipit after carrying out its parachute display flight singing away.
A pony tethered to the bank.
Google Earth view of the 4th stage. 4.16 km.
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