Urban birding in Hull: General and Western Cemetery in February

I usually go for a walk to the Hull General Cemetery on Sunday mornings. It is very muddy at the moment, but it is usually a great place for a socially distanced walk with a soundtrack of bird song. It was overcast but mild today, with barely any wind. I kept an eye on the grass, hoping to see some Redwings, but they were none. A Song Thrush and a Mistle Thrush, amongst many others, were in song. I approached a Yew and, from its dark depths came the thin high pitched song of a Goldcrest, I got to a second Yew and a second Goldcrest singing! I crossed Chanterlands Avenue to continue my walk on the other side of the cemetery. A largish bird landed on the ground with some swagger, a Jay! I had my camera on the wrong setting, so I only managed some blurry photo before it flew onto a Holly. Last year I heard and saw a Jay in the cemetery, but I never managed a photo, so I was pleased with the record shots.     

 On the way back, on the general cemetery, I heard the song of a Treecreeper, which I managed to locate. The light in the cemetery wasn't great for photography, but here it is, atop a branch.

Two Stock Doves were courting high up on an almost horizontal large bough covered on lichens and moss. Looking through binoculars I felt like I was in some remote old growth forest. There was a lot of alarm calling and then a silence. A female Sparrowhawk landed for just a couple of seconds atop a tree before flying off. They often do this!

Mistle Thrush.

The Jay amongst the headstones.

Snowdrops.