Urban birding at Hull: Sculcoates week 46

A sudden change in the weather, a Northerly wind today brought cold, showers and rainbows to the patch. It feels like winter. I walked mainly along the drain, and visit the north cemetery and the river, two hours after high tide. 

 There is a large flock of Black-headed Gulls in the playing fields, I estimate around 200, with 14 Common Gulls and many Herring Gulls. There are about 100 Herring Gulls on the river, bathing and resting on the wall in their usual favourite spot.

The EA had cut the reeds and removed some floating vegetation on the drain, but there is still a very large patch of Azolla fern in the section parallel to the playing fields. The Moorhens are very obvious today, walking on the Azolla carpet, feeding. 

Moorhens on Azolla.

Rainbow.

Two Stock Doves on the poplars. I hadn't seen them for a while.

A 58 strong skein of Pink-footed Geese with photobombing Feral Pigeons.

I got to the river two hours after the high tide, but it was still quite high and the Redshank were still at their roost in two groups totalling 14 individuals.

Redshank.

Four Little Grebes were visible from the pedestrian bridge at Abbey Way. This stretch now looks quite open after vegetation removal.

Greenfinch.