Wild at Hull: Urban birding at Hull: Oak Road Lake and the River Hull

Monday, 4 May 2020

Urban birding at Hull: Oak Road Lake and the River Hull

A morning walk to Oak Road Lake via the Beverley and Barmston drain.

Beverley and Barmston drain.

I walk round the lake, the cob mute swan is busking on the male canada goose. The canada goose is forced to step out of the water, it hisses to me when I walk past, obviously still riled by the swan attack.

The Canada female is momentarily standing over the nest on the raft, but no eggs are visible. The female swan is sitting on her nest eggs amongst the reeds, but then she stands up, looks down and does the egg rolling movement, before sitting again.

No Willow Warblers singing today, but there is one singing Reed Warbler. After a circuit around the lake, I move to the river bank. A group of Swallows and House Martins are flying over the river. A male Kestrel flies over. I hear a singing Reed Bunting and find him on the other bank amongst the reeds.

Spot the female Reed Bunting on the river bank.

A Sedge Warbler sings from the hedge in a display flight, but no photos. Then I hear a high-pitched song I don't recognise coming from the bottom of the bank. I hear it again a few times and then a Grey Wagtail flies to the other bank. It is a summer plumage male! In the last year I saw a pair of Grey Wagtails in Zebedee Yard in town and also a young fledged one at East Park. I'm used to Grey Wagtails as upland birds in summer, although I come across them in the city during migration and during the winter. But they now breed in parks in London. I wonder if they are becoming urban birds?