Hedon Haven and Paull Holme Strays

We tried, and failed, to get to the Easternmost side of Hull this morning. The entrance to the area through the Chemical works plant was gated and we were told there was no access to the public footpath, and later we tried from the King George dock, but access to the path seemed difficult without knowing our way, so we went to Hedon Haven instead, which was a new place for me.
On the little beach by Paull village, a turnstone and a few redshank sat on a derelict wooden barge. A group of shiny black Cormorants crowned the posts marking the canal to Hedon Haven.
The tide was ebbing revealing the brown-pink mud of the Humber, and flocks of bird started to fly onto the mudflats: Redshank, Curlew, Shelduck, Dunlin and Black-headed gulls. The wind was relentless, but when we sat on the sheltered bank, the sun was shining and overall was a much pleasant morning that I was expecting. The haven itself is fringed by marsh and patches of reeds. Teal, Redshank and Curlew fed upstream, and a Skylark chirped briefly from the field behind us. It was very tranquil, and despite being right next to a large industrial works, a beautiful place.
 A pair of Great-Black Backed Gulls were flying about and at some point a large flock of Lapwing manoeuvred towards the coal depot and back over us.
 Afterwards, we headed to Paull Holme Strays and took the path west to the lighthouses. A massive flock of Golden Plover with some Lapwing steered like a murmuration over the saltmarsh and it was unclear what whas the cause of the flushing, although we did see a Marsh Harrier flying over the strays.
 Overall, a great day out, and made more interesting for the company of Robert and Gui.

Cormorants resting

 Flying Cormorant

A motley crew of mud-lovers: Black-headed gulls, Shelduck, Redshank.

 Barge skeleton

Curlew

 Another Curlew - I love Curlews!

 Greater Black-backed gulls

Rivulets on the mudflat 

 A view of Paull Holme Strays looking East.

 Golden Plover and Lapwing flock

 We saw a cream-head Marsh Harrier later, not sure if it was responsible for the flushed Golden Plovers.

 Curlew

 Resting Wigeon flock

Robert and Gui inspecting driftwood on Paull Holme Strays.

Bird List

1. Black-headed Gull, HH.
2. Carrion Crow, HH, PHS.
3. Cormorant, HH.
4. Curlew, PHS, HH
5. Dunlin, PHS, HH.
6. Golden Plover, PHS
7. Great Black-backed Gull, HH
8. Herring Gull, HH
9. House Sparrow PHS, PV
10. Kestrel, PHS
11. Lapwing, HH, PHS
12. Linnet, PHS
13. Mallard, HH, PHS
14. Marsh Harrier, PHS
15. Redshank, PV, PHS, HH
16. Robin, PHS
17. Shelduck, HH, PHS
18. Skylark, HH
19. Starling, PV
20. Teal, HH
21. Turnstone, PV, PHS
22. Wigeon, PHS
23. Woodpigeon, HH, PHS

Tophill Low ducktastic

As it is becoming routine, much to my pleasure, the forecast poor weather with heavy rain failed to materialise, and there was just a very brief shower during my visit to the north side of Tophill Low this morning.
A large flock of Chaffinches were feeding around the car park with Collared Doves, and a Great Spotted Woodpecker drummed.
The D reservoir was teeming with ducks: Wigeon, Tufted ducks, Pochard, Goldeneye, Gadwall, a sprinkle of Teal, two Shelduck and a pair of Mallard that looked out of place.
There was a strange and fascinating spectacle going on by the dozen feeding Mute swans, clouds of ducks (mainly Wigeon and Gadwall as far as I could see) and coot surrounded each pair of swans like flies. The ducks and coot were very busy feeding, so I presume the swans were disturbing or releasing something (seeds? invertebrates?) which the ducks seem to enjoy.
 Here is a short clip:


 In D woods the feeders were busy too: Goldfinches, a Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Blue, Great, Coal and Marsh tit, and Blackbirds and Dunnock underneath.
 I spend half an hour in North Marsh hoping for an otter encounter. The highlight is a Kingfisher flying away as I open the window, but other than a pair of Moorhens and a Wren on the reeds, there is little else.
No sign of Barn Owls on the scrub either, but as I walk towards the hide on Helmpholme meadows, two Roe Deer cross the path in front of me, just 10 m away. In the flooded meadows, a pair of Mute Swans resting contentedly, a pair of Mallard and Teal. A Kestrel hovers in the distance, and a large flock of Teal fly overhead.

Mute Swan and duck feast

Hovering Kestrel

A more relaxed Mute Swan at Helmpholme Meadow stretching its leg.

Goldfinches on the feeders in D wood

Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Chaffinch

Bird list

1. Black-headed Gull    
2. Blackbird    
3. Blue Tit    
4. Carrion Crow    
5. Chaffinch 50 +  
6. Coal Tit 2   
7. Collared Dove 9   
8. Common Gull    
9. Coot    
10. Dunnock    
11. Gadwall    
12. Goldcrest    
13. Goldeneye
14. Goldfinch    
15. Great Black-backed Gull    
16. Great Crested Grebe 2   
17. Great Spotted Woodpecker
18. Great Tit    
19. Greenfinch    
20. Greylag Goose    
21. Jackdaw    
22. Kestrel 1   
23. Kingfisher 1   
24. Lapwing    
25. Mallard    
26. Marsh Tit    
27. Moorhen    
28. Mute Swan 14   
29. Pheasant    
30. Pochard    
31. Robin    
32. Rook    
33. Shelduck 2   
34. Teal    
35. Tufted Duck    
36. Wigeon    
37. Woodpigeon    
38. Wren

Muddy wetlands

Fortunately, the weather forecast of heavy rain didn't materialise, and, although it was overcast and quite dark, I didn't have any rain in the wetlands and little wind. The rainy weather of the last few weeks has left the paths very muddy, especially on the north side. Other than the lady in the Wild Cafe, I had the reserve to myself until about 12:30, when I came across two people in East Hide.
 I walked around the perimeter of the reserve anticlockwise as usual and started and finished in East Hide. The various bird feeders on the east side of the reserve were busy with Siskin, Chaffinch, Long tailed tits, Blue tits and Tree sparrows and Bullfinch.
 Strangely, there were few geese in the reserve today, I saw just one Canada and two Greylags, but there was a large flock of Shelduck and many Redshank around.
As I was photographing the cormorants on the raft in main lake, a bird flew across the lake, a green woodpecker. I saw it again as I left the hide, feeding on the grassy verges of Dryham Lane.
Teal were noisy and displaying in circles around females. See a little clip here of their courtship antics:

A group of Long-tailed tits stayed around the feeders by East hide

A male and two female Bullfinch under feeders

a group of 14 Red-legged partridge by the north hedge

Robin

A male Great tit inspecting nest box. It took some nest material out and came back.

Great Black-backed, Herring and Common gulls resting on a shallow area opposite Crosslands hide.

Siskin

Bird list

1. Black-headed Gull    
2. Blackbird    
3. Blue Tit    
4. Bullfinch 3   
5. Canada Goose 1   
6. Carrion Crow    
7. Chaffinch    
8. Common Gull    
9. Coot    
10. Cormorant 2   
11. Dunnock 1   
12. Gadwall 20 +  
13. Goldfinch    
14. Great Black-backed Gull 1   
15. Great Crested Grebe 1   
16. Great Tit   N - visiting probable Nest site
17. Green Woodpecker 1   
18. Greenfinch    
19. Greylag Goose 2   
20. Herring Gull    
21. House Sparrow    
22. Jackdaw    
23. Kestrel 1   
24. Lapwing    
25. Long-tailed Tit    
26. Magpie    
27. Mallard    
28. Moorhen    
29. Mute Swan 4   
30. Pied Wagtail (yarrellii) 1   
31. Pochard 20 +  
32. Red-legged Partridge 14   
33. Redshank 10 +  
34. Robin   S - Singing male
35. Rook    
36. Shelduck 45 +  
37. Siskin 2   
38. Snipe 1   
39. Teal   D - courtship and Display
40. Tree Sparrow 4   
41. Tufted Duck    
42. Wigeon    
43. Woodpigeon   S - Singing male
44. Wren 2

Foggy East Park

It was very atmospheric when I arrived in East Park today. The thick blanket of fog made photography tricky, though. In the little boating lake two female goosander preened themselves, surrounded by a raucous group of mixed gulls bathing. The rowans between the lakes were very busy with many Blackbirds, Woodpigeons and a Goldfinch feeding on berries. I spotted a Sparrowhawk sat atop a tree, which then gave a half-hearted chase to a thrush over the boating lake.
 I walked around the lake and came across more Goosanders, first a pair, then a large group of 14 on the east side of the lake.
 Some screeching noises mixed with black-headed gull calls called my attention. A parakeet! it flew into a garden by the park and then reappeared on a tree. I was able to approach and take some foggy photos, this was my first parakeet in Hull. A crow then came and scared it off.
 While walking on the east side of the park I heard the soft 'tu-i' call of a warbler and I located a Chiffchaff on a large willow, feeding with a pair of Blue tits. I manage some shots, and then of another individual near the bridge.
 No signs of the one-legged moorhen by the wooden bridge of the lake.
While trying to get closer to the Goosanders hiding behind tree trunks I saw a Treecreeper quite close to me. It crept higher in the tree, but it was behaving strangely. Then it stopped completely pretending to be a branch. A Magpie called from the same tree. Was the treecreeper trying to avoid being seen by the magpie? It stayed motionless for quite a few minutes, and I could get my best treecreeper photos ever. The Magpie flew off and the Treecreeper carried on climbing the tree.

Drake Mallard

Female Goosanders

Bathing common gull

Sparrowhawk

A young woodpigeon tries to reach a rowan berry

Woodpigeon eating rowan berries

Ring-necked parakeet

Ring-necked parakeet

Black-headed gull

Wallaby

Drake Goosander

Chiffchaff

Treecreeper

'frozen' treecreeper

Spot the magpie and the treecreper

Another one of the treecreeper

Chiffchaff

Bird List

1. Black-headed Gull    
2. Blackbird    
3. Blue Tit    
4. Canada Goose    
5. Carrion Crow    
6. Chaffinch    
7. Chiffchaff 2   
8. Collared Dove   S - Singing male
9. Common Gull    
10. Coot    
11. Dunnock    
12. Feral Pigeon    
13. Goldcrest    
14. Goldfinch    
15. Goosander 18   
16. Great Spotted Woodpecker    
17. Great Tit    
18. Greylag Goose    
19. Herring Gull    
20. House Sparrow    
21. Long-tailed Tit    
22. Magpie    
23. Mallard    
24. Moorhen    
25. Pochard    
26. Ring-necked Parakeet 1   
27. Robin   S - Singing male
28. Sparrowhawk 1   
29. Starling    
30. Treecreeper 1   
31. Tufted Duck    
32. Woodpigeon    

Wild swans at North Cave

With a day starting so sunny we had to get out this Sunday morning. We headed of to North Cave, where I hoped to see the Whooper Swan family that had been around the reserve for a week or so. The weather didn't disappoint. Although puddles had a thick layer of ice that the kids delighted in breaking with their wellies, by midday the temperature was quite pleasant. We had the usual hide squabbles for the binoculars (note to self: must buy another set or two), but, my eldest had fun taking photos with her mobile, which was a nice surprise. As for birds, we saw the Whooper Swan family on the far end of Reed bed lake. They flew off after a few minutes - they seemed nervous and there were many people around, but we got to see them and another family, both with three young, from Crosslands hide. One of the families was quite close to the hide, with a pair of Mute Swans also present nearby.
 I watched a butterfly (likely a Peacock) flying along the hedgerow in Dryham Lane. After lunch in the Wild Bird Cafe - bacon butties and hot chocolates - moods were much improved, and we watched and photographed a Common Darter on the reserve entrance gate. I guess not much time left for the last dragonflies of the year.

Wigeon

Bright skies from East Hide

Shoveler up-ending and swimming in a circle 

The Whooper family about to take off from Reedbed Lake

 Whooper Swan family

Two young Whooper swans

A very tame female House Sparrow by the Wild Bird Cafe

Male Common Darter basking by the reserve entrance.

A short clip of the Whooper Swan family by Crosslands Hide


Bird list

1. Black-headed Gull    
2. Blackbird    
3. Canada Goose    
4. Carrion Crow    
5. Chaffinch    
6. Common Gull    
7. Coot    
8. Cormorant 4   
9. Dunnock    
10. Feral Pigeon    
11. Goldfinch    
12. Great Crested Grebe 5   
13. Greylag Goose    
14. House Sparrow    
15. Jackdaw    
16. Kestrel 1   
17. Lapwing    
18. Little Grebe    
19. Mallard    
20. Meadow Pipit    
21. Moorhen    
22. Mute Swan 3   
23. Pied Wagtail
24. Pochard    
25. Robin    
26. Rook    
27. Shelduck    
28. Shoveler    
29. Snipe    
30. Starling    
31. Teal    
32. Whooper Swan 10   
33. Wigeon    
34. Woodpigeon