Hull City Nature Challenge - Day 4 - Albert Dock, Victoria Dock, city centre, Wildlife Garden

Weather was good for the final day of the City Nature Challenge, with sunny spells, still and mild. After another early start, I headed to the core of the city, which hadn't been surveyed much, Albert Dock and Victoria Dock, the tide low. I started by ticking some common birds, including this crow carrying a piece of plastic. Starlings were busy collecting food for chicks and singing.

Crow with bit of plastic.

Singing Starling.

At the Milky Way square, the usual pair of Stock Doves, and not usually, a singing Whitethroat.

Whitethroat.

At the city centre, the frantic calls and flapping from a Feral Pigeon chick being fed by a parent called my attention. I took the photo once the commotion was over, both chick and parent looking very sedated. It always amazes me how tiny ledges they use as nests. With time, a rim of poo makes enough of a cup to told eggs and chicks. There is barely any indication of a nest hete.

Feral Pigeon with chick.

This Herring Gull forgot it was a Bank Holiday.

A Woodpigeon on the City Hall.

I had to record the Sea Spleenwort by the outer dock wall. It really suffered with the dry weather, but is already growing back.

Seaweed was exposed at low tide.

Henbit Deadlettle was a nice addition to my Hull plant list.

A Stock Dove feeds on the roof of a warehouse at Albert Dock.

After recording a number of plants at Albert Dock, which was very quiet bird-wise, I headed towards The Deep and Victoria Dock. It was a first for me to see Blackbirds mating atop a roof (top shot), then, a few houses ahear, a female House Sparrow requested mating repeatedly. 

Mating House sparrow.

Three-spined Stickleback.

Coot.

Lesser black-backed gulls displayed by the tideline at the Half-tide basin.

A Skylark flew up from the new saltmarsh and sung briefly, before disappearing.

I returned via Victoria Dock park. The sun shone for a while and I recorded a few Butterflies, including my first Holly Blue of the year.

Holly Blue.

Peacock.

Windowframe wildlife.

After lunch we had a spot of recording at the Pearson Park wildlife garden.

Celery fly, very active, beautiful fly.

Pond Skater.

Nursery Web Spider.

The final push was to check the remote camera I had placed in the garden for the CNC. I hadn't used in a long time and I wasn't sure it was going to work. After a few cat photos I was very pleased to see a few Fox selfies, which was a great record to end the challenge.

 

Fox in the garden