Urban birding at Hull: Sculcoates week 34

It is a sunny, warm afternoon, and I head to the Sculcoates patch hoping for a Willow Emerald Damselfly. I decide to walk up an down the drain looking for them. The bank at the other side of the path is sunny in the afternoons. I stop at Temple St brownfield and made a butterfly list. There are many grasshoppers, Lesser Marsh and Common field grasshoppers. I have a short glimpse of a Painted Lady. Common Blue, Holly Blue, Speckled Wood, Small Tortoiseshell and Red Admirals are about, the latter feeding on the buddlejas.

Lesser marsh grasshopper.

A gravid female Common Field Grasshopper.

Small Tortoiseshell.

As I get to the drain, I check the place where I saw the Willow Emerald last year, an unsurfaced path by the cycle lane, and, amazingly, I disturb one, which lands on the nettles!

Willow Emerald.

This makes 10 Odonata species on the patch this year. I check the bank opposite. There is a Hawthorn with overhanging branches over the water. A Migrant Hawker male is patrolling the area, but then I see some movement, there are some Willow Emeralds too. At least 3 individuals, two mating and a third one.

A raptor's begging call towards Wilmington bridge distracts me from the drain and I take the cycle lane towards the river. It is low tide. No Redshank, just gulls, but in the far distance there is a smaller bird: a Common Sandpiper! It spends a long time feeding on the mud, by the water line and also at the base of the defences.

I retrace my steps towards the drain. The line of poplars seems like a good place for Willow Emeralds, they have many overhanging branches. There is lots of activity, with individuals squabbling in the air. A pair lands on a branch out of sight, I move and manage to get some photos of oviposition, the first time I see it.

Ovipositing Willow emerald damselfly.

Habitat.

I carry on. I cross Sculcoates lane and look over the bridge. There, just in front of me there is another one! (top shot).