An urban fall of migrants

 It was very windy yesterday, with rain in the afternoon and night until early morning, the wind, mostly Westerly, continued in the morning. I headed towards Pickering Park in the morning to complete my overdue core count WeBS. Migration was obvious, with Siskins and Redpolls flying over all through the walk. I have made a lot of progress in my 100 birds in Hull challenge, my attempt to see (or hear!) 100 bird species this year at Hull. Four bird species took me to 99: a Pied Flycatcher at the Western Cemetery on the 26th August, in the company of a mixed tit flock. I failed to photograph it or refind it. Three or four Common Sandpipers in my WeBS of the River Hull at the Museums Quarter on the 10th September, and a flyover Meadow Pipit yesterday over the Newland Avenue area. The flyover Siskins and Redpolls made me optimistic, maybe today I would reach 100.

I thought about Spotted Flycatcher after passing a group of birch where I had first seen them, but no joy. As I walked around the aviary, sunshine shining and the surrounding trees sheltering the spot, a pale bird landed on the aviary perimeter fence (top shot). A Spotted Flycatcher! This was bird 100 for the challenge. It sat, as flycatchers often do, on the fence for a while and gave plenty of opportunities for photos. Then it moved onto a tree, where more naturalistic frames were taken.  Chiffchaffs, Great Tits and Blue Tits were also feeding in the area.

Spotted Flycatcher, Pickering Park.

Migrant Hawker males were on territory around the lake in the most sheltered spots. I was pleased to find my first Willow Emerald Damselfly. Distant, as it was on one of the islands, this was the first I've seen in this site.

Migrant Hawker.

Willow Emerald.

Willow Warbler.

Cob Mute Swan.

A very vocal pair of Canada Geese, in some sort of dispute with a trio.

A few Speckled Wood about.

This Herring Gull pair were engaging in pair bonding behaviour. They sat on a spot, called to each other, picked nest material and then long called in a duet for a very long time, until they were interrupted by a begging juvenile. Check the video out here.

As I walked home, the vis-migging continued, particularly with Redpolls. Then, at Stables Walk just off Spring Bank West, a bonus Spotted Flycatcher! Also very obliging, although a bit more distant than the first.

 

Spotted Flycatcher, Stables Walk.

Pickering Park Wetland Bird Survey and the first hirundines

A mild, still and sunny morning, I carry out my belated April Wetland Bird Survey at Pickering Park. On the way there I get my first Swallow (number 87) at Hull, flying over Spring Bank, too fast for a photo. Blackcaps have now been settled for a few weeks and seem to be around in good numbers, unlike Song Thrushes, which I haven't heard from sites where they were regular before. At Pickering Park, some more hirundines, House Martins (number 88), the first of the year for me. Single Common Gull and Black-headed Gull remind me that the winter migrants have mostly left now. The Mute Swan pair are in full courtship and I manage to record the full sequence including mating and the final celebration. I wonder if they are completing their clutch now. 

Singing Collared Dove.

Mute Swan pair courtship.

The last Black-headed gull?

There are two basking terrapins on the dead tree, one is very small, the smallest I've seen. Although a small one might be a sign of breeding, it is possible that it has been released recently.

Four families of Greylags are gathering on one side of the lake.

A fresh Speckled Wood.

A crow flying up rattling towards the Buzzard below, it never reached it as the Buzzard drifted away.

Buzzard over Spring Bank.

Pickering Park WeBS February

A sunny, mild day with a spring-like feel, I head towards my monthly Pickering Park Wetland Bird Survey. On the way, I find the leucistic male blackbird by Greggs, I'm glad it is still there. It is doing the slow chasing with another male blackbird and it appears to win.

Leucistic Blackbird.

As I watch some Carrion Crows posturing, slow flying and calling I notice a raptor, it's a Red Kite! (number 76 of the 100 birds in Hull challenge). I will blog about Red Kites in Hull in the next Urban Birds at Hull post.

Red Kite, flying south west over Boothferry Road.

Canada Geese on the playing fields. There are no Goosander at the lake, but the Mute Swans are busking around the lake, chasing geese. The female even busks towards me from the middle of the lake, while I record a video, and gives me a mock wing flap!

A magpie picking nest material.

Song Thrush singing.

A male Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming, another responding in the distance.

Goldcrest.

A Lesser Black-back Gull, one of a pair, the second I see this year.

The Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Webs count at Pickering Park in January

Sunday is my Wetland Bird Survey count for Pickering Park. I'm hoping for a few new birds for the year too. I try to get there before dog walkers and football matches disturb the birds. The sunrise as I walk along Spring Bank West is spectacular.

Sunrise looking across Walton St. towards the stadium.

Woodpigeon.

Goosander (47)

Treecreeper (48) is my highlight of the day, a species that is hard to find in Hull.

Great Tit.

I also add Great Spotted Woodpecker (49) and Mute Swan (50). The lake is 80% covered on ice, that means I miss on Tufted Duck and possibly Pochard.

A Coal Tit on the way back, but no Siskins.

Migration at Pickering Park

 

An overdue Wetland Bird survey at Pickering Park. A lovely morning, sunny and still. I wake up early and head towards the park, hoping to beat the dog walkers. It was quiet to start with. Just two Greylags about, no Canada, which was a bit odd. Plenty of Coots about and two Tufted Ducks. Then I spotted a Common Sandpiper, which I have had before in migration at the park. It allowed quite close approximation.

Then, by the middle island, there was a mixed flock of tits with at least some leaf warblers flitting about. A Willow Warbler sung weakly, a Chiffchaff joined it. I saw a bird chasing a warbler that made me think of a Spotted Flycatcher, could it be? I was amazed to see that it was. The bird was very unsettled, as it was very aggressive to the warblers and chased any landing near it. It was very busy, I couldn't really count how many willow warblers and chiffchaffs there were on a group of birches, but probably about a dozen in total. After quite a long wait, I managed some shots (top shot). This was my first Spotted Flycatcher in Hull. This used to be a summer migrant breeding across the city in parks and large garderns, but not any more, so it was very nice to see it at the park.

Willow Warbler.

Spotted Flycatcher

Willow Warbler.

Green-veined White.

Nice to see the Mute Swan pair has managed to raise six cygnets, after they lost the whole brood last year because of bird flu.

Pickering Park WeBS and Albert Dock

A cold, breezy day with occasional light showers, I head towards Pickering Park for the Wetland Bird survey count.

This Goldfinch was picking grit from a roof.

Although the cob Mute Swan appears to be smiling in the photo, he was actually hissing at me. Its partner is sitting on eggs now on the nearby island.

Coot on nest.

There were several greylag families, this was the largest.

This Pied Wagtail repeatedly looked at its feet, like gulls do sometimes.

Brown Rat.

Mallards don't do very good on Pickering Park, apparently due to the fact that there are several enormous Pike.

Instead of going back home after the Wetland Bird survey count, I headed to Hessle Road and when over the bridge over the railway line a large Herring and Lesser Black-back colony became apparent.

Lord Line Reddbed.

Dunnock.

This pair of Herring Gulls had just mated.

The Shelduck pair is back at Albert Dock, but no ducklings yet.

As I step down from Murdoch Connection, the gulls alert me to a raptor, a Red Kite, the first this year.

And later, over Princes Avenue, I spot the silhouette of a Peregrine and manage a single photo, what a day for urban birding!

Peregrine.