December WeBS count at the River Hull and Victoria Dock

 I missed the core count survey date for the December WeBS, as I was away. I wanted to fit an alternative date in December and this proved tricky, as many high tides were in darkness. Tuesday's high tide was just before dawn, at 8:08, so I went for that. It was cloudy,  and there is just enough light to see the birds, although very dark for photos. I flushed a Rock Pipit from the Myton Bridge saltmarsh, which was the highlight of the survey itself. I think it has been there for a few weeks as I also flushed a pipit in my last visit. After the visit, I walked to the end of Corinthians way. I spotted a Dunlin on the sea wall, but I was too close (top shot) and it flew, with a few others and a Ringed Plover, both new species for the year (number 105 and 106). At the Half-tide basin there is a Black Redstart, my second in Hull this year, and two Rock Pipits, what a day! With only a few days left for the year, this might well be the final tally.

Black Redstart.

Black Redstart.

Rock Pipit in the gloom.

Black Redstart.

Curlew at Half Tide basin.

A young Mute Swan at the Half tide basin.

A flotilla of Tufted Ducks.

Curlew.

Redshank.

Pied Wagtail on the tideline.

Curlew.

An August walk to Victoria Dock

A mild day with light drizzle showers, and a low tide, I head towards Victoria Dock, hoping to see some waders to add to my year list. On the way, I watch two Sparrowhawks over the city centre and another over Ha'penny bridge. The Feral Pigeons at Queen Victoria Square are enjoying the reopened fountain and are bathing enthusiastically, displaying their curious habit of exposing the underside of their wings to get it wet. There are many Lesser Black-backed fledglings begging to parents around Princes Quay, with plaintive whistles and crouched stances. At Victoria Pier, a Lesser Black-backed gull feeds on a dead woodpigeon, it is a young one, its back open.

Sparrowhawk.

Feral Pigeon bath time.

Begging Lesser Black-backed juveniles chasing a parent.

A Lesser Black-back Gull feeding on a young Woodpigeon.

A second Sparrowhawk.

Young House Martins getting ready to fledge.

Young coot chick being fed by parent.

No waders at the Half-tide basin, but many House Martins around, some in their nests almost ready to fledge. A surprise are three Mute Swans, which are feeding on the foreshore near Corinthians Way. All three have small bill knobs and one of them has brown fringes in its wings, so probably they are yearlings moulting. The limping Curlew is still there, still limping, but actively feeding.

One of the Mute Swans. 

The limping male Curlew. 

I scan the mudflats at the end of Corithians Way. The Curlew and some Black-headed Gulls are there, but no Oystercatchers. After a short spot, I turn round. A flock of Starlings feed on the exposed seaweed, turning it like Turnstones and using their open bill probing technique to hunt for invertebrates.

Starling open bill probing on seaweed.

Young pied wagtail.

I get to the Half-tide Basin. There are two juvenile Pied Wagtails now. I watch them as they chase and flutter after insects on the mud, when the House Martins start alarm calling. The wagtails immediately fly off, and I scan the sky, hoping for a raptor. A Hobby! It's flying low parallel to me, and soon it's going to fly behind the buildings, so I'm lucky to be able to take a couple of record shots. I haven't had a Hobby in Hull since 2022, and the last time was on Myton Bridge, powering towards Victoria Dock. This time of year the young House Martins are on the wing, and it must be easy pickings for Hobbies.

Hobby.

I follow the Hobby as it flies NE towards the trees by the A63. Hobby is number 96 for my Birds in Hull, so a very nice outcome for the walk.

A male Vapourer landed on the path in front of me. It appeared to be struggling against the wind, and I acted as a windbreak.

A walk along the urban Humber

 I had been told of a returned Curlew and Oystercatchers at Victoria Dock village last week, and I realised that I didn't have Oystercatcher in my 100 bird challenge list, and I hadn't seen Curlew by Victoria Dock this year, so I headed to the Humber this morning, as low tide was at 10:40, hoping for some waders.

I lingered around the river, and I found a pristine Painted Lady by Scale Lane Bridge. Only my 4th this year.

Painted Lady

I search for Short-winged Coneheads on the sea clubrushes and other saltmarsh vegetation. They like to bask in the morning and it was cool enough but sunny. I scan the likely basking spots with the binoculars. I find several adults, some of them look like long-winged forms, and plenty of nymphs. 

Female Short-winged Conehead.

There are several House Martins flying over the mouth of the river Hull, I wonder if there is a colony nearby, or they are young of this year dispersing from their nest sites. They join the pair of Swallows at Myton Bridge. Soon enough I find the female Curlew on the first stretch of Victoria Dock. She is picking ragworms from the mud at the bottom of the sea wall. 

At Half-tide basin, a young Pied Wagtail and returned Black-headed Gulls are the only thing of note.

I reach the end of Victoria Dock and spot the Curlew. It is a male, and one of its legs has a noticeable kink. It is limping, but otherwise looks alert and feeding well. Looks like it broke its leg and it has healed in that position. Then an Oystercatcher flies over (number 94 for the challenge). I would have liked a better sighting, but hopefully, I will see them again this year.

Lesser Black-backed Gull with juvenile.

Pair long-calling.

Oystercatcher.

Returning along the promenade I watch five House Martins collecting mud.

House Martins collecting mud from the Humber mudflats.

House Martin with a beakful of mud.

Some occupied nests at Victoria Dock village.

Black-headed Gull.

Wonky leg Curlew, a male.

A Dunnock fledgling.

A Black-headed gull young of the year.

Pied wagtail by Hull College with food.

Stock Dove on the Guildhall.

Two walks on the Humber

Monday, the windy walk

Under the strong winds of storm Herminia, I head towards the Humber. I pop at the railway triangle by Hull Royal Infirmary and I manage to steady my camera enough for some photos of a singing Song Thrush.

Song Thrush.

Pied Wagtail.

A Cormorant fishing in the river Hull.

Before I leave town, I check on Princes Quay for gulls, hoping for the Med gull. Nothing, just a couple of Black-headed gulls hunkering, horizontal, against the wind. Later, when I get home and check the photo I see the head of the Mediterranean Gull (68) poking from behind the roof (top shot).

Tuesday, the rainy walk

The storm has passed, and instead it is a drizzly and rainy day. I walk towards The Deep and take a walk and a coffee inside until the worst of the rain has passed at mid morning. No signs of Curlew again, which is a bit worrying. No new birds for the year either today.

Redshank.

Greenfinsh at Victoria Dock village.

Young Herring gull with a crab.

Some of the 30 strong flock of starling at Corinthians Way.

Goldfinch feeding on London plane baubles.

Magpie.

Pair of Mallards.

No Med gull at Princes Quay today, but a Pied Wagtail made up for it.