Urban birds at Hull. 43. Bullfinch

 

Bullfinches are very distinctive birds if seen well, but they are quite shy and skulking in vegetation. Pairs often stay together. When individuals lose touch, one of them might perch in the open (top shot) calling. Their soft contact call, a mournful whistle, is the easiest way to detect them. Both sexes have a black cap, wings and tail, with a white wing band and white rump, and a silver back. Males have an orange-pink chest, whilst female's is brown. They have short and wide bills, reminiscent of a parrot's. Bullfinches feed on a range of vegetable foods, including seeds, which they extract from berries (including hawthorn, rowan and guelder rose) in the autumn and winter, flower seeds like dandelions and forget-me-nots, and buds in the spring. They will also visit bird feeders.

Female Bullfinch at bird table, Humber Bridge CP, 15/02/2016.

Bullfinches will also visit bird feeders. Here a male feeds on sunflower hearts, Sculcoates, 26/03/2023.

Status and distribution in Hull

Bullfinches are a scarce, but widespread resident species in Hull. They like old hedgerows and favour those along the disused railway lines (both Hornsea and Withernsea). They also like scrub and tangled banks with brambles, allotments and overgrown gardens. Good sites to watch them are the Sculcoates Cemetery, Noddle Hill, Foredyke Stream, and Rockford Fields.

A male Bullfinch feeding on bramble seeds, Stoneferry 09/01/2023

Female Bullfinch feeding on rowan seeds, 8/10/2024.

Feeding on green dandelion seed, Bridlington Avenue, 1/05/2023.

A Bullfinch fledgling at Noddle Hill, 22/06/2019.

Feeding on cherry buds, 28/03/2022.

Conservation and management

Bullfinch populations declined sharly in the early 70s. and declines continued until 2000, when populations started to rise and the species was downlisted to amber. Still, population size is about 50% what was in the early 70s. Agricultural intensification is suspected as contributing to the decline, but the causes are unclear. A regime of Hedgerow management more sensitive to wildlife should provide the food resources and breeding cover for the species.

More information

BTO Birdfacts. Bullfinch.

April at WIlberforce Wood and Noddle Hill

A frosty and cold morning with clear skies, I take the bus to Kingswood and walk along Wilberforce Wood to Noddle Hill. Wilberforce Wood is looking good, many birds in song including the first Willow Warbler of the year (number 85 of the 100 birds in Hull challenge, number 84 was a Woodcock fly over at Pearson park). Reed Bunting, Blackcap, Chiffchaffs, Robins and Great Tits and more all filling the soundscape. I flush a Green Woodpecker, which dives into the wood. At the Foredyke Pond I fail to see any signs of frog or toad spawn.

Frosty Wilberforce Wood.

Bullfinch.

Great Tit singing.

Reed Bunting singing.

Willow Warbler.

Song Trush.

A patch of Ground Ivy. There are many rabbits in that area and I wonder if they don't like Ground Ivy.

Rabbit.

This Willow Warbler has a 'pollen horn'. Several warbler species feed on nectar to refuel in short stop-overs during their spring migration, and they build up a crust around the bill as the sugary nectar sticks the pollen to the feathers around the bill. 

I carry on to Noddle Hill. On the playing fields, there is a Moorhen, not far from the Foredyke Stream, but looking oddly out of place. I haven't walked far along the stream, when I spot a Barn Owl hunting along the drain and one of the fields of the reserve, the light is just wrong for photos, but I manage some in flight record shots before it goes out of sight. 

Moorhen.

A Barn Owl hunting over the Foredyke Stream.

Grey Heron on one of the pools by the solar panel field.

A buzzard with very tattered wings.

A lone Lapwing on another pool.

Reed Bunting.

The first Blackcap I photograph this year, at the pumping station.

One of four Yellowhammers near the feeders.

Hare.

One of five Gadwall on the fishing pond.

One of the many highlights of the day is to find two Jays at the reserve, the first I see there. A Green Woodpecker was neighing non stop. And Just before I left, a singing Lesser Whitethroat, another year addition to the year challenge, number 86, and a fitting way to finish the trip. A total of 46 species for the day. As I walk back, it has noticeably warmed up, and butterflies are becoming active in the sunshine.

A view of Noddle Hill. 

Mating Speckled Woods.

Wilberforce Wood.

Holderness: Seaton, Wassand and Hornsea

A cool, sunny and breezy day, I get bus 24 to Seaton and walk to Wassand and along the public right of way on the south side of Hornsea Mere to Hornsea. Seaton has a small common or green and a village pond. A Moorhen skulks on the margins. Plenty of finches, with Linnets, Goldfinches, Chaffinches and Greenfinches in the village. I cross the busy A1035 and then I'm in the Wassand estate. A large pond holds Greylag, Moorhen and Little Grebe. A Kestrel flies away and then I hear raptor calls, there are two Marsh Harriers, one of them showing very well.

Seaton village pond.

Peacock.

Little Grebe in the Wassand pond.

Wassand pond.

New lambs with ewe.

Marsh Harrier.

Skunk Cabbage in bloom, a plant that can become invasive and favours wet woodland. Seems to be doing very well here by a ditch.

The first distant view of the mere. Also the top photo, with a curious old coppice stool with still some life in it.

Another pair of Marsh Harriers displaying.

Lund.

Skylark rising.

Reed Bunting singing.

The mere.

I get to Hornsea and join the Transpennine trail on the old railway line, finishing at the old railway station, which is the start of the long distance trail. I get my lunch at the Bay Tree Kitchen and then walk to the beach until the end of the sea defences, before getting my bus back home.

The Old Railway station.

Station and monument to the Transpennine trail.

Stream Dyke, the outflow of Hornsea Mere.

At the end of the Hornsea Defences, the sea is eroding the boulder clay cliffs creating an embayment between Mapleton (in the distance, also defenced) and Hornsea.

Some of these static caravans are sticking out of the cliff edge. I don't fancy their chances!

St. Nicholas Church.