A sunny, cold morning with the first frost of the season. I walk to East Park via the Hull to Hornsea Rail trail, a disused railway line now converted into a cycle lane/footpath, one of the green corridors across the city. Along the way, I watch a large flock of Woodpigeons flying over, in migration. Of note too is a Chiffchaff and a greenfinch and also a Redshank on the riverbank.
Stepney Station.
A view of the track.
Large flock of migrating woodpigeons.
Wilmington Bridge.
Greenfinch.
River Hull from Wilmington Bridge.
Redshank.
Chiffchaff.
It takes me about an hour to get to East Park.
A Carrion Crow with a large bill.
A pair of Mute Swans preened in the boating lake, their plumage stained blue from the dye used in the lake.
East Park main lake.
As I get to the centre of the main lake I spot my first Goosanders of the season. Three individuals including some 1st winter males moulting onto while body feathers, their mammal-like furry heads still foxy-red.
There is also a heron in the usual spot on the central island (top shot). A Kingfisher flies along the lake, the first one I see this year!
There are plenty of Black-headed Gulls and Common gulls resting on the jetty. I scan through their legs in search of rings, and I find one of each species with readable plastic rings.
Black-headed gull from a Germany ringing scheme.
Common Gull from a Polish scheme.
Three of the four drake Pochards.
A Cormorant dries it's wings in the sun. Note how the 'alula' is lifted and the pygidial gland is visible as the feathers in the area are spread out.
A distant flock of Pink-footed Geese over.
One of the adult Great-Crested Grebes. There were at least two young, still begging to one of the parents.
Grey Wagtail. Two were present and also a Pied Wagtail.
On the way back along the north shore of the lake I catch up with the Kingfisher. It stays for a couple of minutes in a dark area of one of the islands, before flying off.
Black-headed Gull.
A young Black-headed Gull. It walks along and they flies to the water, so I don't catch the whole code. The ending of the ringing scheme suggest Lithuania.
Grey Squirrel.
It's 11 o'clock and time to head back. It feels like it's the end of the day already. Gulls are gathering on the roofs of some factories. One of them attracts my attention, but it's not a Mediterranean gull, just a Black-headed gull with more black on the head than usual this time of year.
Herring Gull and Black-headed gulls.
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