Urban birds at Hull. 2. Common Pochard

A very distinctive species, the drake Pochard has a chestnut colour head with red eyes, a silver back, while belly and black chest and rump. It is regarded as globally vulnerable by the IUCN since 2015, it was also upgraded from Amber to Red in the UK due to strong recent rapid declines in the breeding and wintering population and distribution range. 

Status and Distribution in Hull

The Common Pochard is a regular wintering duck in small numbers. Mirroring global trends, the Pochard in the Hull area has gone from being a common wintering species in the 90s to a scarce species. It is present from October to March. At East Park, the stronghold in the area, between 40 and 50 individuals used to be present in the 90s, but the last 5-year average is of 11 birds. Of note is a single breeding record at East Park in 1996. Small numbers still use Bransholme Reservoir, Oak Road Lake. A single bird winters at Pickering Park. Wintering also occurs on the Humber estuary. All photos were taken and East Park and Pickering Park.

Three drake Pochards at East Park (23rd Nov 2020).

 Pochard is often associated to Tufted Ducks, also diving ducks with a similar diet. There is a strongly biased sex ratio, with many more males than females, as the latter migrate further south than males. Females are only occasionally seen in the Hull area.

A sleeping drake Pochard at East Park (20 Oct 2020). Pochard sleep or eat at any time of the day and night. 

A rare female Pochard at East Park (18 Feb 2015).

The only drake at Pickering Park (8 Dec 2020).

Preening drake, East Park 12 Feb 2018.

Preening drake on an East Park island (17 Dec 2018).

A female Pochard with duckling at Oak Road Lake. The first time that I record breeding of the species in the Hull areas.

Female Pochard and her three ducklings. Oak Road Lake, 22 June 2025.

Why the decline?

The Pochard appeared to be scarce in the late 19th century, then increasingly colonised northern and western European countries, as nutrient-rich wetlands (water reservoirs, quarry lakes, flood defence wetlands, fish ponds) were created. The species breeding success appears to be higher when breeding in Black-headed gull colonies, where it may benefit from gull defence against predation. Recent changes in fish pond management and species present (e.g. carp), predation from introduced American Mink, and declines in gull numbers could at least partly explain the Pochard decline. The species is now Red Listed in the UK. Milder winters nearer their wintering areas might result in they stopping their migration in winter or migrating to nearer areas to their mai breeding grounds. Given this, and the fact that local changes haven't probably affected the Hull wintering population, which mostly comes from Eastern Europe, management of the Hull wintering areas - other than the current maintenance of the occupied sites - is unlikely to led to local increase in numbers.

Drake Pochard at East Park. 8/03/2022.

More information

Pochard. BTO Bird facts.

Broughton, Richard K. Birds of the Hull Area.
Fox, Anthony D., A. Caicergues, M. V. Banik, Koen Devos, M. Dvorak, M. Ellermaa, B. Folliot, Andy J. Green, C. Grünenberg, and Matthieu Guillemain. 2016. "Recent changes in the abundance of Common Pochard Aythya ferina breeding in Europe." Wildfowl, 66: 22-40.

This post was edited on 22/06.2025, to reflect the recent breeding in the area. The links were also updated and the text lightly edited.

Hull urban birds. 1 Wintering Redshanks

Redshanks are a regular winter visitor within the limits of the city of Hull, from mid September to mid April. They are distinctive birds, grey-brown above, and white below, with a white eye ring and bright red or orange legs and bill base, a long, straight bill and a characteristic broad white wing bar. They are quite vocal waders, especially when assembling to roost and when disturbed.

Around  3000 Redshanks winter on the mudflats of the Humber Estuary, a population of international importance. In smaller numbers, they can be found along the river Hull. Here, despite their wariness, they are more used to people walking on the riverbank, and they can be quite approachable. 

One of the easiest spots to watch Redshanks is by the river at the Museums Quarter, especially at low tide, where I took these photos and videos. They seem oblivious to the heavy traffic noise of the A63, which crosses the river nearby.

The exposed banks of the river Hull by the museums quarter. The A63 and tidal barrier in the background.

Today I walked to the mouth of the River Hull almost at low tide. Five Redshanks were feeding scattered along the exposed shore of the river and docks. Occasionally one will fly on with much alarm calling, or individuals might have a dispute on who owns a patch of mud. If slightly nervous, they will stand quite upright and sharply bob their body up-and-down.

Finding food

Redshanks often feed just by the waters edge, walking in a steady, determined way, occasionally stopping to probe the mud with their bills. They feed on a range of tiny invertebrates, such as mud shrimps, small snails and clams and worms, and small fish.

A Redshank feeding on the river, probing the mud for invertebrates.

When the bill is completely inserted in the mud, the Redshank closes its eyes for protection.

Redshank on habitat.

Redshank bathing.

Roosting together

At high tide, Redshanks become more sociable and they roost in a group in a favoured, sheltered and undisturbed spot.

Eight of a group of 23 Redshank roosting at the back of the former Trinity House Buoy Shed building, 6/10/2020.

A roost of 13 Redshank at high tide with a Black-headed gull by the old mooring of the Arctic Corsair. 20/01/2020.

A flock of Dunlin a few Redshank and a Turnstone on the flood defence of Albert Dock, 5/2/2018. 

Where do Hull Redshanks breed?

There are a few old records of Redshanks breeding on flooded fields at Bransholme and land by the docks at Saltend, but most Redshank will depart to more suitable habitats in the spring to breed. Ringing data indicates many Redshanks around the Humber breed in Iceland, together with local birds breeding around the UK. Individuals are site faithful and they will migrate repeatedly to particular patches. 

Redshanks are a bird of conservation concern

Redshank are regarded as AMBER in the Birds of Conservation Concern list due to recent breeding and wintering population declines, and the fact that the UK holds an important non-breeding population. Management of the wintering population in the Hull area should include maintaining or providing suitable, undisturbed roosting sites along the river banks and Humber flood defences. Redshank needs for available mud at low tide should be taken into account in any infrastructure projects that could increase disturbance and or modify availability of the mudflats of the Humber or the River Hull.

More information

Redshank. BTO Bird facts.

Broughton, Richard K. Birds of the Hull Area.

European Union Management Plan. Redshank.

Urban birding at Hull: Sculcoates week 2

 A beautiful morning, frosty, blue sky, I head to Sculcoates. I first explore the area around the railway line behind Abbey Way. Three Greenfinches fly over, and I spy a Song Thrush with some Blackbirds feeding on hawthorn. A sound draws my attention and I watch as three Roe Deer run away amongst the trees along the railway line. The deer and three Grey Squirrels make the start of the mammal list for the patch. I add Crow, Magpie, Redshank and Stock dove to the square year list, now to adding to 28.

Frosty lawn with the railway line on the right.

The drain has a layer of ice up to about half a meter wide a bit over the water surface and the water is steaming (top shot). Moorhens and Mallards sit by it.

Looking north from the cycle/pedestrian bridge.

The almshouses building.

Two Stock Doves are having a face off.

This corner pylon is in a brownfield site next to one of the cemeteries.

A view of the oldest cemetery.

The tide is low and a redshank appears with much calling.

Redshank feeding on the mud of the river, on the reflection of the British Extractions building.

I bump into David L. who's been working hard scything areas in the cemetery. He tell's me that he's seen both frogs and toads in the newest cemetery. There are three bullfinches feeding on buds on the newest cemetery, and that puts an end to today's walk.

Urban birding at Hull: New Year new patch. Sculcoates. Week 1.

It was predictable that lockdown v.3 was coming, and I've been thinking over the last couple of weeks what would I do when it came. I haven't made any big plans for this year (if surviving a pandemic is not a big plan!), but I did come up with a small doable challenge, that meets lockdown rules, is environmentally friendly and may be surprisingly entertaining, which is to have a new nature patch to explore and record on. It had to be urban, within walking distance, and ideally be diverse in habitats. Yesterday I settled on the site: one km2 area of the OS grid, about 20 min walk from home, namely TA0930. I have visited this area often the last couple of years as part of the Hull Dragons survey, and it has yielded some nice wildlife surprises. But I haven't visited it previously in late winter and early spring. A more regular pattern of visits year round - I'm aiming for once a week - might be pay dividends. Today I had my first visit of the year.

Habitats

River

The stretch of the River Hull (top shot, at high tide) on the patch is not very accessible, as it is an area of industrial estates built by the river, with practically no public access riverbank patch. There is a viewing point and a stretch of accessible land is between Wilmington Bridge and Aire street, from where I took the photo above. This is a tidal stretch of the river with muddy bottoms exposed at low tide, so it would pay to check the tide. There are some patches of more natural marginal vegetation, especially around Wilmington Bridge and in the bend around the Reckits tower that can be seen from google maps, but unfortunately inaccessible. I've had the four common gull species, Redshank and Cormorant in this stretch of river. Swallows may breed in the bridge itself. The linear water habitats in the square may also increase the chances of spotting migrating birds.

Drain

The Beverly and Barmston drain crosses the square from the NW to the SE, it is roughly a straight line. Most of it is accessible by a public path by its bank, although there are a few stretches out of bounds, which offer shelter and lack of disturbance to wildlife. The earth banks are either grassy and regularly cut or have plenty of marginal vegetation including bramble patches, reeds, willows, hawthorn, birch and alder. A stretch is bounded by large poplars. There are six bridges over the drain, some of them used by pairs of Swallows. There is also plenty of aquatic vegetation on the drain itself and a diverse fish fauna, including pike and perch.

Scrub and Brownfield

The sides of the public footpath by the drain, and the cycle lane that crosses the patch from W to E are bounded by trees and scrub. In fact, there are little and large patches of scrub everywhere and apparently abandoned industrial plots with plenty of vegetation. This habitat is used by a range of warblers.

Cemeteries

There are two disused cemeteries, both now well vegetated with some mature trees and bushes glades and meadow areas.

Playing fields and parkland

A playing field in the middle of the square provides a feeding and loafing ground for gulls and Starlings.

Most of the square is residential estates with small green grassy spaces towards the west of the square, and industrial estates around the river Hull on the east of the square.

Highlights of 2020

Birds. Last year my bird list was 50 species, with Lesser Redpoll, Siskin, and Little Grebe in the winter. In the spring, Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Reed Warbler and Chiffchaff were singing. Greylags were looking for nest sites, but not sure they bred. Mute Swan, Coot and Moorhen bred.

Dragonflies

I've recorded 10 species of dragonfly on this square, including Hairy dragonfly and Willow Emeralds mating in September 2020. Brown Hawker, Migrant Hawker, Emperor, Common Darter, Four-Spotted Chaser and Azure Damselfly, Common Blue and Blue-tailed Damselfly complete the Odonata list.

Butterflies

I've only recorded 10 species of butterfly, which I'm sure it can be improved upon.

1. Small Tortoiseshell
2. Ringlet
3. Large Skipper
4. Speckled wood
5. Large white, 
6. Small white, 
7. Comma, 
8. Gatekeeper, 
9. Red admiral, 
10. Painted Lady

Other groups

I've recorded Water Vole and Fox in the square previously. Otter is not impossible, as I've seen it further upstream in the drain. I'll record any species I'm confident identifying, possibly some plants. I've been told Grass Snake has been seen, but there are no records, and a large Red-eared Terrapin lives in the drain. I've got no frog and toad records in the square. We'll see how it goes!

A Cormorant fished in the drain this morning.

Eight moorhens feeding on a grassy area by the drain.

Headstone on the oldest of the cemeteries at Air Street.

All time bird list for TA0930 (in black those seen today), with 25 sp. seen today.

1. Black-headed gull
2. Blackbird
3. Blackcap
4. Blue tit
5. Bullfinch
6. Buzzard
7. Carrion Crow
8. Chaffinch
9. Chiffchaff
10. Coal tit
11. Collared Dove
12. Common Gull
13. Coot
14. Cormorant
15. Dunnock
16. Feral Pigeon
17. Goldcrest
18. Goldfinch
19. Great Spotted Woodpecker
20. Great tit
21. Greenfinch
22. Greylag Goose
23. Herring Gull
24. House Martin
25. House Sparrow
26. Kestrel
27. Lesser Black-backed gull
28. Lesser Redpoll
29. Lesser Whitethroat
30. Linnet
31. Little Grebe
32. Long-tailed tit
33. Magpie
34. Mallard
35. Moorhen
36. Mute Swan
37. Pied Wagtail
38. Redshank
39. Reed Warbler
40. Robin
41. Song thrush
42. Starling
43. Stock Dove
44. Swallow
45. Swift
46. Whitethroat
47. Willow Warbler
48. Woodpigeon
49. Wren

Urban birding at Hull: Icy East Park

The day started gloomy and with showers. There didn't seem to have been a frost and the pavements were clear of ice, but I decided to stay local and head to East Park. The lake had a good covering of ice, some of it under a layer of water. Despite the couple of freezing rain showers and the light northerly wind that made my hands suffer even with gloves, conditions were ideal for the enthusiast ring-finder. Gulls appear to feel relaxed on ice in the middle of lakes, they rest, groom, and generally loaf, safe from walkers by and running dogs. I scanned with my binoculars the many gulls standing on the ice. I couldn't find any ringed Herring Gulls, re-found Common Gull TT33, from last November, and found some new Black-headed gulls from three different schemes:

TT33, common gull from Poland.

Black-headed gull TAMA from Poland.

JME3 from Norway.

P700 from Lithuania.

A fourth ringed gull only had a metal ring, and only the last number (6) was readable, and the first 2 letters (ST, possibly Stavanger?).

Gulls on ice.

Also of note were 2 pairs of Mute Swans, a drake Shoveler, the Red-crested Pochard and a drake Wigeon and two Goldcrests. The Grey Heron was resting on the central island, well camouflaged. The Goosanders were quite scattered and hard to count, my estimate is 10.

Goosander.

Goosanders under the close attention of Black-headed gull.

Shoveler.

Shoveler

Wigeon.

Dead terrapin?

One of the cob swans reached the edge of the ice and was determined to push forward, breaking it with its weight. After some effort, it decided to turn round to its partner.

Mute swan on icy lake.

Grey heron, hiding in the central island.

Wild at Hull 2020

I don't usually do year summaries, but this has been a year we'll find hard to forget. It has been an awful year in so many fronts for most people, staying away from family, and students, working from home with endless online meetings. I feel lucky it hasn't hit me that hard, our family getting out lightly so far, and this week, when I went through my 2020 photos I noticed that I've managed to fill quite a lot of nature-related activities in the year. Also, how far away January and February 2020 feel from now, it was odd to realise that trips that I thought were a couple of years back were actually in these early, pre-covid months, like the Waxwings in Hessle on the 10th of March. Then, I was planning so many things that ended up being cancelled: conferences, holidays, field trips... 

My first trip that I associate to Covid was on the 3rd of March, when I got the train to Filey. It was one of my year resolutions to use public transport more, and I had planned my Migrants Way walk to use buses to avoid walking back the same way, and to make stages longer. During this Filey trip, it was me and another guy on the carriage, well distanced anyway. It was when the news were talking on outbreaks in the Canary Islands. This guy was speaking on his mobile, quite loudly, saying he has just got out of Tenerife, and he also kept coughing. It felt all too real. 

I started the Migrants Way, though, and Gabrielle Jarvis had asked to walk with me. We did Spurn, and Easington together, but then sharing a car or taking public transport became risky and I carried on on my own to Holmpton. Then came lockdown.

An Osprey migrating up the River Hull was one of the highlights of 'Lockdown Birds' walks.

Lockdown birds

April and most of May were spent in lockdown. I felt very lucky we were allowed to leave the house for exercise, unlike my Spanish family, which were recluses of their flats. Being able to be outdoors helped me keep my sanity in these mad times. I did a daily walk around home, exploring parts of Hull I had never visited, completing bird lists along the way on each km2 as part of the allowed exercise walk. No binoculars, just my camera, which I used sparingly. It was more fun that I had anticipated. The city was deserted, it was the bird breeding season and I lockdown forced me to do just urban birding, which is something I like anyway. The fantastic spring weather also meant that the garden was buzzing with insects. I shared as much as I could on social media, trying to keep my spirits up though the hard times. During the second lockdown, in November, I repeated the same walks and added some more nice birds to this year Hull list.

A view of Filey from Buckton Cliffs.

Migrants Way continue

Then we got out of lockdown the last week of May. Was it too late to continue as I had missed two whole months of peak migration? I decided that carrying on made sense, it would keep me busy researching the stages, poring over maps, reading about the geography, palaeontology and natural history of Holderness. I'm so glad I did, this has been my favourite walk so far, also most of the walks were well socially distanced, so that was an opportunity to escape from covid once a week.

Ruddy Darters mating by one of the ponds at Hollym Carrs during our Hull Nats meeting.

Hull Nats

A hard year for Hull Nats. We managed two monthly field trips at Hull Natural History Society, in January to Hornsea and on February to North Cave Wetlands, and we even had our AGM on the 10th of March, but then we cancelled events during lockdown 1 and then lockdown 2, with summer trips being socially distanced, including a very interesting one to Hollym Carrs. The website was more active as members shared their findings. Looking forward to a more active group next year.

Mating Willow Emeralds

Hull Dragons

We also decided not to cancel Hull Dragons. We would encourage people to submit garden records, and most of the sites we did were either walkable or we could do it as part of short, allowed trips. Indeed, Hull Dragons 2020 was even more successful than 2019, we got many more records and the same number of species, adding breeding evidence for Willow emerald and Hairy Dragonfly at Hull. I published all monthly summaries from May to September at Bugblog.

Swans of the World

Drawing and sketching

I ended up doing a lot more drawing. Most sketches ended in posts in my Bird Sketches blog. In August I drew all auk species, and in December all Swan species, and I did a fair lot in between too, which was a lot of fun.   

Joining local bird observatories

Another positive note is that I joined both Flamborough Bird Observatory and Spurn Bird Observatory and I am really looking forward to a 2021 full of birds!