Spring at Sculcoates

We've had a very cool, wet and windy Spring so far. This morning, it was still cold, but sunny and no wind, it felt like one of those wonderful spring days when anything can turn up. I headed to Sculcoates, first to Fountain Road, then along the drain and to the Northern Cemetery. It started very well, with a Swallow on territory by the bridge, my first this year. It sat for a while on the aerial where the Swallows gathered before migration last year. Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps were singing along the drain and at the cemetery too.

The first Swallow

I headed north by Bridlington Avenue, where I found some surprising megafauna. There are some stables nearby and I first thought one of the horses had escaped. Then I noticed they were chained. Fly-grazing ponies are a regular feature of Hull. I personally like to see them around, but I'm more used to seeing them on the banks of the river Hull. These two were grazing on the fresh grass on the road verge.

Ponies.

Blackcap singing.

Song Thrush singing.

Greenfinch with nest-lining material.

Hairy-footed Flower bee briefly resting after patrolling a patch of white-dead nettle.

A hawk-like call attracted my attention, when I focused the camera on the calling bird it turned. up to be the lone Jay atop a poplar by the drain. It took off with a harsh call and flew north-east.

Jay.

Coot on nest. Coots have a funny way of resting, instead of tucking their head under a wing, they sometimes just drop their heads sideways, like meerkats falling asleep.

As I crossed Sculcoates Lane, I heard a Willow Warbler singing, my first of the year. It alternated feeding and singing.

There was some fight amongst crows by the railway line at the back of Abbey Way, then a mammal running away. It was a Roe Deer, which stood watching me, and bolted when I lifted my camera.

It was a good day for invertebrates, with many bees and hoverflies about. Three Small Tortoiseshells fed on dandelions.

Andrena scotica?

Nursery web spider amongst the primroses at the Sculcoates Cemetery.

As I headed back, I heard a Reed Bunting singing from the other side of the drain (top shot). This is the first reed bunting I see at Sculcoates, I've always been surprised by their absence in the area, despite apparently suitable habitat.

Male Reed Bunting.