A walk up the River Hull in February

A sunny but breezy day, I walk to Oak Road and then up the river Hull until Wawne. There is an uplifting chorus of singing birds, including SOng Thrush, Robin and Wren

 

Song Thrush.

At the lake, I'm pleasantly surprised to find that the lone cob has got a new partner. The pen looks in much better condition than last year's one, which ended up dying after the cygnets hatched. The cob has raised three cygnets to fledgling. Last time I was here, a couple of weeks back, he was encouraging them to practice flying along the lake. A local told me he chased the young off last week.

The resident pair of Mute Swans at Oak Road Lake.

Three Cormorants resting on one of the fishing platforms. It is not possible to walk around the lake if you are not wearing wellies, so this area has far less disturbance than usual.

On the north side of the lake there is a small group of Siskins, feeding low down on the birches.

Three Buzzards are displaying high over Ennerdale. with some mewing.

Usual horse grazing on the river bank.

I check the reservoir. There are Shovelers in the distance. Little Grebes duet their little chortle. The usual assortment of waterfowl are present. It is after I carry on by the river when I come across this cormorant, which emerged from the water having captured an eel. The eel was putting some fight and the cormorant struggled to position it right for swallowing. In the third photo, the cormorant has thrown the eel into the air to catch it by its head, the threads of mucus between the eel and the cormorant are visible. Usually cormorants dive as soon as they see people on the bank, but in this instance it was too busy with the eel to pay me any attention. Once swallowed, it dived immediately. Nice to see there is still an eel population in the River Hull (despite the cormorants!).

Cormorant with Eel.

Soon after I cross Reigh Carter Way, I can hear the Skylarks singing from the fields. There is a lot of activity, with chasing between individuals.

Skylark.

A view of the very high River Hull.

Reed Bunting trying to hold onto the branch against the wind.

I'm very pleased to see two Lapwing on the flooded fields, within the Hull city limit.

Lapwing.

Lapwing.

A Mute Swan near Wawne, one of a pair, drying its foot before tucking it in.

Rook.

Male Stonechat by river bank near Dunswell.

The river arriving to Wawne.