Wilberforce Wood and Noddle Hill in November

A mild morning with sunny spells turning into showers later, I took the 5 bus to Kingswood ASDA. Wilberforce Wood was wet and muddy, I was glad I was wearing wellies. The temporary pond was quite full, the water muddy. As I was getting to Foredyke Green a 15-20 strong flock of Redpolls flew overhead. I found them on a group of alders and birch, and they were feeding on both trees (top shot). I have heard and seen Redpolls flying overhead this autumn, but this is the first flock I see feeding. I spent some time watching them before carrying on.

Magpie.

Wilberforce Wood pond.

Once at Noddle Hill, I walk along Foredyke Stream first. Many Redwing and Blackbirds, and a single Fieldfare. A large flock of Lapwing, about 200, was flying in the distance over the solar panel field. A Buzzard sat on the bank of the stream. As it left it was mercilessly chased by crows. The Lapwings have landed by the floods in the field by the solar panels, they are very camouflaged on the recently ploughed dark soil.

Buzzard.

Lapwing.

The Holderness Drain is running very high, the highest I've seen it. I flush a Little Egret, which settles on a field opposite. A Fieldfare is on a hawthorn and stays there while I take its photo. There is a large Linnet flock, starlings and many Yellowhammers.

Little Egret in flight.

Fieldfare.

Little Egret.

Yellowhammer. Plenty about on the eastern side of the reserve.

Reed Bunting.

Roe Deer.

Kestrel.

Common Gull.

Greylag and Cormorant.

A Cormorant at the lake, its right wing tangled up on fishing gear. 

As I started back towards the bus stop, a rainbow announced the impending rain.

Wilberforce Wood, Noddle Hill and Castle Hill with Hull Nats

A warm sunny day, I decide to do some dragonfly recording at Foredyke Green and Noddle Hill in the morning, and join Hull Nats visit to Castle Hill Farm in the afternoon. I take the bus to Kingswood and walk along Wilberforce Woods. A local kindly leads me to a striking metal sculpture in the woods I've been wanting to see for a while. There is an earthy ridge on the ground with the shape of a slave ship, and the statue is at the front. I would have never found it on my own!

The striking metal sculpture of an enslaved man. I have been unable to find any information online about it.

Butterflies

It is a great summer for butterflies, in stark contrast with last year's. Large White, Gatekeepers and Comma are particularly abundant, and Red Admirals follow closely behind. Ringlets, freshly emerged Peacocks and Meadow Browns are also about. I only find Small Skippers today. A total of 13 species were recorded.

A Gatekeeper basking early in the morning.

Small Skipper.

Large White nectaring on Creeping Thistle

Red Admiral.

Comma.

Peacock, showing its very dark underside.

Speckled Wood.

Holly Blue.

The biggest surprise of the day, a Purple Hairstreak who landed on a gate near Castle Hill mound, not a butterfly I come across very often! The curious thing is that we couldn't find many oaks around.

Grasshoppers and Bush-crickets

Five species were recorded, Roesel's Bush-cricket and Long-winged Conehead in several places, Lesser Marsh Grasshopper, Common Field Grasshopper and the last, with a single record, Speckled Bush-cricket on the eastern side of Noddle Hill.

Roesel's Bush-cricket.

Long-winged conehead, female nymph.

Adult female Speckled Bush-cricket.

Dragonflies and Damselflies

Twelve species recorded, aided by the warm conditions. A few damselflies at Foredyke Green pond, which was the earliest in the morning I visited. Things got more exciting at Noddle Hill, with Black-tailed Skimmers and a male and a female Banded Demoiselles at the pond-dipping pond. Ruddy Darters and Southern Hawkers were also around. As I was leaving, I spotted a Red-eyed Damselfly. Many Brown Hawkers were quartering the rides and footpaths everywhere, I flushed several, but I only managed a couple of record shots. The pond near the Trans-Pennine trail, which was created around a year ago, was wonderful (top shot) and kept us entertained for a long time. Male emperors patrolled whilst females oviposited. A couple of Four spotted chasers and plenty of Black-tailed Skimmers, enjoying the open ground of the pond margins. Overall, 12 species of dragonflies and damselflies. 

Black-tailed Skimmer.

Male Banded Demoiselle.

Female Banded Demoiselle.

Ruddy Darter.

A Southern Hawker at Dragonfly Alley at Noddle Hill.

Large Red Dragonfly at Noddle Hill.

Male Emperor.

Female Emperor ovipositing.

My record shot of a Brown Hawker.

Black-tailed Skimmers mating.

****

Other than these groups there were a few further highlights. Three Hares off Noddle Hill was the largest number I've seen together

Yellow Water-lily at Holderness drain.

Naturalist in action on the new grasslands by a ditch.

Singing Linnet.

Terrapin at the pond-dipping pond at Noddle Hill.

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.