A walk to Noddle Hill LNR via Bransholme

Despite the not so pleasant weather ahead, with showers and windy weather forecast, I tackled my longest walk this year, a 20k walk to Noddle Hill LNR. I used pedestrian/cycle lanes across Wilmington and Bransholme. Braved a shower once on the reserve and didn't add any new species for #localbigyear, but had Goosander, Little Egret, Buzzard and a beautiful flock of wintering Lapwing 

My first Canada Geese on the drain on the way there. The photo also illustrates the usual conditions of the drain, with a large amount of litter on the water and banks.

It was quiet when I got to the fishing lake at Noddle Hill, no fishermen or dog walkers. A Little Egret was resting on the banks, but it quickly moved on.

Little Egret in flight.

A Goosander, and later a Cormorant, were doing the fishing.

This might be the last flock of wintering Lapwing in the Hull city boundary, but how to count them? I guessed 300, but counted them individually from photo: 646! (plus stragglers). The flooded fields by the solar panels suit them, they finally settled to feed

A Buzzard was around on the northern fields.

And two Kestrels, here is the female...

...and later, when the weather improved, the male

 

Usual small birds on the feeders, but I saw no Reed Buntings or Linnets on the reserve. A flock of Goldfinches were feeding on Teasel...

...and alders.

After a couple of hours and a circuit of the reserve, it was time to head home. On the way there I connected with another pair of Kestrels, each on its little shelter on the sunny side of the building.