Urban River Hull: Wilmington Bridge to Reich Carter Way

A cold, frosty and sunny morning, I decide to start by walking to Wilmington Bridge to check on the Great Black-backed Gulls. On the way there, I see that the pond at Pearson park was half iced over. The Common Gulls like to stand on the ice. I checked gull legs, but no luck with rings.

Common Gull on ice.

A pair of Greylag were feeding on the playing fields.

On the river, the tide was quite low and there was a large group of Herring Gulls, mainly young of the year, bathing on their usual spot. In between them, the massive king of the gulls: an adult Great Black-backed Gull - looking a bit dirty all be said - approached the water and proceeded to shake it's bill repeatedly, trying to clean it on the shore of the River Hull. I love these amazing gulls and I can't believe I've travelled to Bridlington to catch up with them in the past!

Bath time for the gulls.

Great Black-backed Gull and Herring Gull juveniles, they look tiny in comparison.

The river Hull with the Reckitt chimney rising in the distance.

There were a few Redshank feeding and the usual Moorhen on the river too. I crossed Wilmington bridge. A pair of Kestrels were sitting on a sunny window ledge of the British Extracting Co, the first time I see two on the patch.

Kestrels.

I walk towards Stoneferry Road. A Peregrine flies up and up and lands on the Reckitt Chimney. It must have impressive views of the city as it is the tallest structure in Hull with 141 m. There is some Feral Pigeon movement, but they seem relaxed, maybe the Peregrine just wants to enjoy the sunshine.

Peregrine.

I climb the steps to rejoin the river bank path. There are three Redshanks in the section and I film two that walk in parallel repeatedly up and down the bank, and another alarm calling.

Redshank.

Black-headed Gulls.

The view from the bottom of the steps.

An urban otter track

Close up.

I notice they have put netting on the B&Q roof, presumably to deter the gulls, as there were a few Lesser Black-backed gulls which bred there and their mobbing cries must have been irritating to customers. Hopefully there won't be entanglements. There is no end of industrial roofs on the area so hopefully they will settle nearby.

A yawning Cormorant on the pylon.

A Kestrel near Sutton bridge. Looking down onto a grassy patch.

One of half a dozen Redwings on Yews at Haworth Hall.

The cycle circuit with the ponds has been fenced off, so I can't do my customary wander around and carry on. I hear a passing Kingfisher from the river, a rushed neat high pitched, repeated whistle but no luck in spotting it. Roebank Reservoir is 70% iced over. Fortunately there are 7 Mute Swans making sure there is some open water. There are more Teal than last time, 14+, also 29 Gadwall, 3 Shovelers, and 63 Coots. Many gulls, too tricky to count. 

A 4th year Great Black-backed Gull on ice on the reservoir with Black-headed Gull, Common Gulls and juvenile Herring Gull. This was the 3rd GBBG I saw today.

A surprise Pheasant on the reservoir wall.

Grey Heron.

A Sparrowhawk flushes a Redshank from the river, very close to the Reich Carter Way bridges. The Sparrowhawk flies onto some trees, I think it is going to land, but instead it zig-zags in between openings between branches and drops on the other side. I get to the bridges and move onto the other bank.

At Haworth Hall, a Greenfinch sits atop a tree, looks like a lime. Then I noticed that the tree has a clump of mistletoe. 

Mistletoe.

I have my picnic on a bench overlooking the playing fields at Oak Road. I'm hoping to see the white crow, but no luck. Later, three Carrion Crows come down to the river for a wash.

Two Little Grebes are visible from the bridge at Beresford Avenue.

A total of 45 bird species, and 10 Birdtrack lists, on a 14.5 km walk.

Urban birding in Hull: a walk by the river Hull to Bransholme

A sunny day, with a light northerly wind. It is also the last day of my Easter holidays at home, and I decide walk along the River Hull to Reich Carter Way. It is a very high tide as I reach the river by Wilmington Bridge. I'm pleased to find the Redshank roost in its usual spot, this time with 9 birds.

I carry on the cycle lane, there is a slight rise and a view to the left, where an aggregates company is. A male Kestrel flies into view and over my head. 

Kestrel.

I then turn north by the busy Stoneferry Road, until I can regain the river bank on the Wilberforce Way, with an odd staircase over a wall which doesn't make a lot of sense. It is a good vantage point though.

Looking north from the staircase.

And looking south. The Reckit tower and old oil industrial buildings on the horizon.

Not sure if I've mention before in the blog that there is no trace on the path indicating that this is the Wilberforce way, no waymarkers or panels, and barely a path at all in places to be honest

A stretch of the Wilberforce Way.

But I'm more than happy to walk alongside the river anywhere in town. The opposite bank is vegetated and the mud is used by Redshanks. No signs of a roost today and I carry on towards Stoneferry bridges.

The twin stoneferry bridges. I notice there is a passage underneath, but unfortunately is bolted and I have to wait for a while to safely cross the road.

Two Greenfinches sing from the B&Q bushes by the road.

I spend some time photographing the moorings by the river bank. There are several designs and many have been decorated with paint. I don't think they are getting much use these days, although there is the occasional barge moored there. Yesterday, Nathan Pickering on twitter mentioned that he used to check a Redshank roost by Croda. I have only walked this stretch of river on low tides, as the path on the west side is sloping and I was unsure if passable at high tide. It is not long before I spot the Redshank, regularly spaced, just 5 birds. They are on the river wall on the noisiest spot on the river, just behind the scrapyard with the massive grabbers placing metal on an incinerator. They seem relaxed enough. Nathan used to see 20+ so I guess the flock is much diminished.

Metal action.

I reach the first field with rough grass. A male Kestrel flies and lands on a CCTV post, displacing two Starlings. 

I thought the Cormorants were gone for the year, but I spot one in the usual location on the pylon.

Another flies to the river, where it catches a Flounder, and then drops it and catches it again. I think the flounder won as I didn't see the cormorant swallow it, maybe just too wide for it to pass it through.

I get to Oak Road area. It is quiet on the other bank. I check the lamp posts by the Croda wind turbine and there is a female Kestrel on one. A Black-headed gull is just sitting on the bank and a Mistle Thrush was singing, then feeding on the path.

Oak Road area.

Black-headed gull.

Mistle thrush.

Shortly after a Sand Martin (my first this year) and a Swallow fly north together. I see another Swallow by the Sutton road bridge.

This large tree, maybe a poplar, is in a private garden. It is magnificent and starlings and stock doves nest in its holes.

stock dove.

Ennerdale N pond. A lot of water and a pair of Mallards.

As I get to Bransholme Reservoir I spot this Reed Bunting on the barbed wire. It keeps looking at the fishing line caught in it.

There are lots of insects by the reservoir. I find my first Nursery web spiders, basking on leaves, some toad-like with their legs tucked in. There are plenty of Small Tortoiseshells, some Peacocks, Commas and Small Tortoiseshells. Later a male Brimstone passes by. A Bombus pascuorum and Anthophora plumipes and a mining bee too feed around the white and red deadnettles.

Nursery web spider.

Just the usual at the Reservoir. Two pairs of Little Grebes, some Tufted ducks, 4 Shovelers and a pair of mute swans. I get to Reich Carter Way and start the return on the other bank.

Field by Haworth house.

Crow collecting nest lining material.

Two crows start climbing up laboriously, one rattles, I scan the sky and spot this Buzzard moving north. Crows abort the mission.

Magpie.

As I walk by the Oak Road playing fields I notice an odd bird feeding on the grass. I can't believe it is a white or silvery crow and I remember Andy Gibson messaged me about such a bird on new years day. So it is still about this strange leucistic bird. 

I watch the crow until a dog chases it off. Then I carry on towards Oak Road lake for my lunchtime picnic. Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs sing. There are 6 Tufted ducks on the lake, and a Coot pair have young, but they are keeping them in the reeds.

I'm pleased to see the swans as I couldn't find them last time. The cob is preening on a platform while the pen is on her nest.

Mute Swan on nest.

Mute swan cob.

I return by Beverley Road and have a peek at the drain. There is a moorhen chick in the distance, but Herring Gull alarm calls alert me to another Buzzard. Gulls have no problem reaching the height of the buzzard and swooping at it.

Buzzard and Herring gull.