A walk to Victoria Dock in June

 A drizzly, cold morning. 10 oC in the morning. It eventually cleared and there were even brief sunny spells. 

I first walked through the HR Infirmary square where I do one of my Breeding Bird surveys. I was very pleased to find10+ House Martins over St Andrews house/Thornton Park, but I was unable to find where the nests were. 

An impressive Agave!

I do most of the 1st transect and I pop into the Jubilee Arboretum. I'm pleased much of it still there despite being right next to the Mytongate/Castle Street A63 development. It is a lovely tree collection and the trees are maturing nicely.

Jubilee Arboretum information panel.

I move onto the old town and cross over Murdock Connection. I walk to Albert Dock first, but forgot to check the tide and the lock gates are kept open for a few hours at high tide, so no chance. A 15 min watch from the locks gave me a fly over Grey Heron. There were some Linnets and House Martins. An unexpected sad site tick is a Canada Goose by the lock gates. It feeds on the seaweed by the walls, but looks odd, with a swollen neck and it keeps shaking it's head. I reported it to Defra in case is bird flu.

I move onto the marina and The Deep and scan the Humber a few times. I check the red buoy in front of The Deep and I get this lovely sight: a family of Shelducks with 10 ducklings.

Shelduck family (also top shot).

At the half-tide basin there are many House Martins collecting mud and I see some of the nests under the eaves of houses. The saltmarsh is looking very lush.

The flowering Scurvygrass on the upper saltmarsh at the half-tide basin.

Both Coots are on nests at the freshwater basin. The House Martins take baths on flight. I walk around Victoria Park. Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs are singing. House Martins a plenty over the trees. I see a falcon silhouetted overhead, I seem to see some russet on the wings, so probably a Kestrel.

Juvenile Woodpigeon.

I return to The Deep and scan to find the Shelducks. Still going strong, now being helped by the tide. I wonder if it is the same pair that bred last year at Albert Dock. They can easily leave at high tide with the gates open and then swim to some saltmarsh at the lower Humber. The Gypsey Race, a dredger that I've seen at Bridlington, leaves Albert Dock and passes by the Shelducks. 

Gypsey Race and the Humber Bridge.

The Shelducks with Grimsby tower on the horizon.

At Queen's gardens, one Moorhenling going strong.

Noddle Hill, Midmeredales and Foredyke Green in May

A bus ride to Kingswood to Midmeredales, Foredyke Green and Noddle Hill. Breezy, mainly cloudy at first, but once a dark band of cloud passed (top shot), the morning became much brighter, with warm sunny spells. I spot a Swift, the first for me this year, flying over Newland on the way. There is a loud chorus of song as I walk along Midmeredales, with Willow Warblers apparently on territories, and the occasional Whitethroat. Once at Noddle Hill, I walk to the pumping station. I hear my first Sedge Warblers of the year. Skylarks and a Yellowhammer are singing, but no signs of Tree Sparrows or Lapwings. A Brown Hare is by the solar panel field.

Willow Warbler.

Sedge Warbler.

Yellowhammer.

Buzzard. Also Kestrel, Sparrowhawk and a Peregrine seen.

Several Greylag and Mallard families, and a single Pair of Canada geese with 2 goslings.

Many butterflies on the wing, many Orange Tip, but also Green-veined White, Speckled Wood, Small White, Holly Blue and Brimstone.

Orange Tip.

Holly Blue.

Despite the warm weather and sunny spells, no Odonata were seen, but there was still a few insects to keep the interest.

Common Cardinal Beetle.

Drinker Moth.

Rhyngia campestris.

Green Long-horn moth.

Sculcoates in May

 I take an early morning walk to Sculcoates, getting there at 7:15. On the way I notice the Greylag is brooding goslings, they must be about 3 days old now. A fledgling Stock Doves is basking on a tree, looking drabber than the adults, no metallic sheen on its neck. It's eye is paler too.

Stock Dove fledgling.

This photo is from Wednesday, when I sadly saw that the watchful pair of Lesser Black-backed gulls had got a gosling. I didn't see any other goslings, but they were probably being brooded, as the next day I saw them on the island. Crows are particularly displeased with LBBG and I often see the local crows mobbing them. It is not the adults that are at risk, but the nestlings or fledglings.

Two Whitethroats are singing by the drain, and at regular intervals, 3 Reed Warblers. One of them sings in the open

Song Thrush.

Reed Warbler.

Surprisingly Coots have 8 chicks. Several must have been roosting on the shore last time I saw the family, when only 2 chicks were visible.

Reed Warbler.

In the north cemetery, a family of Long-tailed tits is feeding on the large oak. Three of the fledglings sit close together on a branch, watching and preening.

There are some sunny spells and butterflies about. A female Orange Tip settles on a cow parsley flower, almost disappearing from view, perfectly camouflaged.

Holly Blues have been around in good numbers this week.

A Buzzard was soaring over the river. The Feral Pigeons flew around the large building in a tight flock and Carrion Crows kept a close eye.

Whitethroat singing.

I find a Fox family in a sheltered spot, enjoying the peace and quiet of the morning. The cubs were quite active, while one of the adults dozed nearby. I counted 5 foxes in total.

There is a bumper harvest of dandelions on the grassy areas. Today I was surprised to see that sparrows also enjoy their seeds.

Male House Sparrow feeding on dandelion seeds.

A walk along the River Hull in May

A dull, mild day with light cloud, I head to Oak Road and then take the riverbank for a walk to Reich Carter Way. I'm hoping for Sand Martins and Common Sandpiper for the year. The river is quite high, but the tide starts turning soon. Along the reed belt of the river, Reed Warblers and Reed Buntings call. From the more wooded areas the songs of Chiffchaffs and Blackcap. Blackcaps are singing very energetically today. Song Thrushes sing too. One makes a perfect rendition of an Oystercatcher call, another does the 'teacher, teacher, teacher!' of a Great Tit.

This Blackcap incorporated repetition and mimicry in its song, stumping me until I spotted it singing.

Occasionally a Reed Warbler can be spotted while singing amongst the dry reeds.

Reed Buntings are slightly easier to spot, as they tend to sit in a more prominent spot for singing. Here, chest up, it's preparing to utter its simple song.

A flock of 9 Jackdaws were on the grass by Ennerdale Ponds with some Jackdaws.

Singing Woodpigeon.

Rabbit.

As I arrive at the reservoir, I spot a Common Sandpiper flying downriver, calling, until I lose it.

At the Roebank Reservoir (aka Kingswood sewage works), there are no Tufted Ducks. Two family of Mallards with 5 ducklings each of different sizes and one Greylag family with goslings. I scan the margins and I'm pleased to find a Common Sandpiper there (top shot), which is number 90 for local big year.

Mallard with her flotilla of ducklings.

Despite the cool, cloudy conditions, Green-veined Whites are out and about, and also a Speckled Wood, which comes out in a brief sunny spell. St Mark's Flies and other flies and midges are out, and Starlings are very obviously hawking for them.

Some views of the river and the woodland by Thomas Clarkson way.