Wild at Hull: Urban birding at Hull: a walk to The Deep

Saturday, 25 April 2020

Urban birding at Hull: a walk to The Deep

Saturday morning, I decide to walk to The Deep, about 45 minutes walk away from home. I take a route across little green spaces. This is a nice large grassy plot behind Hull Truck theatre with some large trees in it.

I walk quickly through the city centre and slow down when I get to Queen's gardens. There is a new set of mallard ducklings with their mother, keeping to the marginal plants, away from the always watching eyes of two pairs of Herring Gulls. No Greylags today. The gardens are completely empty of people.

Queen's gardens ponds.

Then I walk by St Mary's Church, that has a lovely courtyard.

I make my way to the River Hull near the Hull and East Riding Museum. Two Blackbirds are making a big fuss about a Magpie, sometimes mobbing it, sometimes being chased, and I'm interrupted from following their interaction by dozens of Herring and Lesser black-back gulls taking to the air calling, flocks of Feral Pigeons crossing the river in a rush, followed by goldfinches. I watch a carrion crow flapping laboriously, climbing up. There is a raptor somewhere. I look up and see a large gliding raptor silhouette with long, narrow wings, an Osprey! I manage a few shots, only the top one clear. Eventually the Osprey slowly drifts to the north and disappears over the rooftops. The crow never reached it. One of those truly magical moments, and lucky to witness it in an urban setting!