Urban birding at Hull: Sculcoates, oak Road and River Hull. Week 17

 An early start to visit the Sculcoates patch. I was surprised to see a frost on the grass at Pearson Park: the cold continues for May. Despite the cold, summer migrants keep arriving and I was hoping to catch up with some today at the patch. 

First Mistle Thrush on the Sculcoates patch.

On the playing field, they usual Woodpigeon flock had been joined by a large Starling flock, but the nice surprise was a Mistle Thrush, which was an welcome addition to the patch list. A Pied Wagtail was also present. As I was leaving a Sparrowhawk flushed all birds on the playing field.

Sparrowhawk

As I arrived at the Beverley and Barmston drain I could hear both a Whitethroat and a Lesser Whitethroat singing from brambles on the other side of the drain. I stared at the brambles for a while trying to spot the Lesser Whitethroat, but gave up after a while as it wasn't showing at all. I was more lucky with the Whitethroat, which showed well.

Whitethroat.

A flyover Grey Heron was another addition to patch list.

I walked up and down the drain. Still a single Coot present and 3 Mallard families with young, some of them looking quite grown.

At Abbey Way I heard a Sedge Warbler singing from a patch of reeds and buddleja. I had brief glimpses but had to content myself with recording its song. Another year patch tick.

A flock of Golfinches feeding on dandelion and daisy seeds.

Whitethroat.

At the cemetery, a chiffchaff was present and a pair of Linnets. Another lesser Whitethroat was singing. I was much luckier with this one, as it ended up showing really well (top shot).

Lesser Whitethroat, exposed for a change.

I moved onto the river. A Swallow, another first for the year patch list was the best. There were two pairs of Swallows present at the drain by two bridges, it was nice to have them back.

A pair of Swallows were flying around the Fountain Road bridge.

Woodpigeons bathing.

To finish the visit, the gulls alerted me to a passing raptor, a Buzzard, it was chased by a crow and a couple of gulls.

Crow mobbing Buzzard.

The gosling is still about at Pearson Park, enjoying a rest in a warm spot under its mothers wing, its yellow down just visible.

Gosling being brooded.

Oak Road lake and River Hull

In the afternoon I had to drop my daughter to visit a friend near Oak Road. I decided to go for a walk despite the very menacing grey sky. I walked by the drain at Beresford Avenue. Whitethroat and a Moorhen nest with an egg were the highlights. 

Moorhen nest with egg.

I walked around the lake. I could hear a Reed Warbler singing, and I found where it was amongst the dry stems of reeds. There was enough of a gap in between the reeds to focus on it with my camera. I was my best photography session with a reed warbler ever.

Reed Warbler.

Reed Warbler.

 The Mute Swan pen was on the nest. 

I moved to the river bank. There were small clumps of Cuckoo Flower on the banks 

Cuckoo Flower.

Stock Doves collecting grit.

A pair of walkers in front of me flushed a Common Sandpiper from the bank. I saw it land and I waited and approached carefully. It was very active, preening, and feeding frantically, just appearing to collect food items from the surface of the mud at a very fast pace. When it flew again as another walked passed by, I realised that there were two of them. Common Sandpipers can be seen during migration along the river Hull and I've also seen them at East Park.

A Pied Wagtail by Oak Road Lake.

Overall, a very productive day in term of additions to patch list (6 species) and to the Hull year list (Common Sandpiper, Sedge Warbler and Reed Warbler) making it to 92 Hull species and 55 Sculcoates km2 species for 2021.