Along the Beverley and Barmston Drain in spring

A breezy, cloudy and cool day. I decide to do another count along the urban section of the Beverley and Barmston Drain within Hull. A 5 km length drain crosses 9 km squares in the city of Hull. My plan is to count all water birds, as I would normally do a waterbird survey. The drain is not affected by tides as tidal doors at Wilcolmlee close at high tide, so I don't even look what the tide is. Recently the EA has made some changes on the drain as part of the Dynamic Drains program including hedge planting and some interesting platforms on the side of the drain, that hopefully will become vegetated and might hold some nesting birds in the future.

The view upstream from Fountain Road.

A pair of Mallard showing how cryptic the females are.

Moorhen.

A coot on nest at Sculcoates.

This shows the platform on the waterside.

I'm very pleased to be able to see three water voles today. I hadn't seen one since May 2020. They are very active, collecting stems from higher on the bank and dragging them to the water's edge to feed. I notice they pull several Nettle stems, and also nibble some dock leaves. A few photos of them.

Coat Tits are very vocal today, two individuals sing at the same time and another in a different area. All associated to large conifers.

The naturalised section of the drain near Greenwood Avenue. No swans today, just a pair of Greylag.

Another view of the bend and lowered footpath.

The last km2 is mostly outside the city limits, but I walk until the dual carriageway. I count 9 Rabbits on the the fields at the other side of the drain. Chiffchaffs singing (5 males) and two Blackcap along the way.

Rabbits.