Urban birding at Hull: Spring Bank and Anlaby Road

Today I walked through the General Cemetery, West Park, then Anlaby Rd going west and returned by a green cycle lane between Anlaby Rd and Spring Bank West.

Goldfinch on Headstone.

A Cormorant flying over the cemetery made it to the lockdown bird list.

 A Mistle Thrush in the cemetery was nest lining, carrying a large amount of material in its bill.

 The cycle lane was a new route for me and it was leafy and noisy with House Sparrows, Wrens and a pair of nervous Robins ticking, maybe with young about to fledge. What had already fledged was a Blackbird. Blackbird fledgling calls are very distinctive and I found it on a alder tree (top shot).

 At the end of the cycle lane, by Spring Bank West I had an unexpected surprise.

A little wild gem, bounded by the railway line with its scrubby hedges, including a pond which is part of a flood defence scheme. If it holds water, would be a great spot for dragonflies. Sadly dry today. A male Orange Tip busily flew past a couple of times. Two Linnets over, the male later singing.

I returned via Spring Bank West and the cemetery. To finish, a note of how adaptable Feral Pigeons are: they have really taken to using solar panels for nesting, the gap between the panel and the roof tiles providing them all the space and shelter they need.

Bird list

1. Blackbird
2. Blackcap
3. Blue Tit
4. Carrion Crow
5. Chaffinch
6. Chiffchaff
7. Collared Dove
8. Cormorant
9. Dunnock
10. Feral Pigeon
11. Godlfinch
12. Great Tit
13. Greenfinch
14. Greylag Goose
15. Herring Gull
16. House Sparrow
17. Lesser Black-backed gull
18. Linnet
19. Magpie
20. Mistle Thrush
21. Robin
22. Song Thrush
23. Starling
24. Stock Dove
25. Woodpigeon
26. Wren