A walk by the River Hull in September

 

It was cold and cloudy to start the day and didn't look too good for a bush-cricket survey walk, but I packed the bat detector and headed towards the river Hull via Barmston Drain at Cough Road. It was quiet, the only thing of note were Mallard flocks flying in circles.  

Mallard.

Elder branches Oak Road Lake with Willow Emerald oviposition scars. 

I stopped to check for bush-crickets at suitable habitat, and there was much along the river bank and adjacent land. It was at 10:30, when the sun started shining, that Long-Winged Coneheads started chugging near Ennerale ponds. The circuit was locked, so I couldn't visit the ponds. 

That time of year when I find dead shrews on paths. This Common Shrew, looking very fresh, it's little tongue out, was on the River Hull floodbank by Ennerdale Leisure centre.

I carried towards the reservoir and then it became obvious why the ducks were flying, there were two workers strimming the vegetation on the banks. A few gulls were in the middle of the water, the level so low that they were standing up.

I returned by the same bank of the river, it was warmer and sunnier. A Little Egret flew over.

I carried on mapping the Long-winged Coneheads and Roesel's. After Sutton Road Bridge a sheltered spot had attracted a Comma and a Speckled Wood.

The beautifully camouflaged and intricate pattern of the underside of a Comma wings

Comma, in all its brightness.

Speckled Wood.

Another patch of Long-winged Conehead habitat by the river bank.

Despite the almost continuous song along the river bank, this is the only conehead I saw all day, a singing male so bright green it contrasted with the dead grass stems.

Long-winged Conehead habitat shot.

Common Darter.

I was very pleased to spot a family of Little Grebes with two chicks in the drain, they quickly hid in the marginal vegetation, so this is the only chick I photographed.

Female Migrant Hawker.

Basking green shieldbug, Palomena prasina.

A walk along the River Hull in July

A start with sunny spells, for the clouds to part as the morning progressed, ending in a warm day, ideal for flying insects. My first stop is the Beverley and Barmston Drain by Beresford Avenue. It doesn't take long to find a Willow Emerald. On the way back, when is warmer and more of the water is in sunshine, I make another stop. Then I find three Willow Emeralds, on trees lining the drain and on marginal vegetation. There is also a patrolling Emperor and several Common Darter.

Female Willow Emerald.

I walk to Oak Road Lake next. Little signs of dragonfly activity, but the Mute Swan family is about. A Cormorant rests on the raft. I made butterfly lists along the way and do a count at Oak Road.

Cygnet demonstrating the leg out position.

I climb to the river bank. On a sheltered spot favoured by hawkers I find a Southern Hawker, but it flies into the trees and I lose it. I am luckier with a fresh Painted Lady, which looks like it would belong to the summer generation bred locally.

Painted Lady.

Green-veined White, the most abundant white today.

A young Robin basking.

I carry on along the river bank. I hear a Reed Warbler alarm from a patch of reeds. After some waiting I notice there are two fledglings just visible. My first fledged Reed Warblers, nice to see they are being successful by the river. There are two other alarmed Reed Warblers between Oak Road and Sutton Bridge, but I see no trace of Reed Buntings.

The bend in the river Hull, looking south from Oak Road Playing fields.

Young Reed Warblers. 

Young Magpie.

The river Hull, looking north from Oak Road Playing Fields.

Sutton Bridge visible in the distance.

This young Carrion Crow is feeding on a dead Feral Pigeon by Sutton Bridge.

Three Swallows were feeding near Sutton Bridge.

I reach Ennerdale and take one of the paths to the ponds. In a sheltered glade, there are five Migrant Hawkers feeding. A cloud prompted one of them, a female, to rest on a hogweed stem. 

Immature female Migrant Hawker. Note the milky eyes and brown abdominal markings.

The North pond is now dry.

The South Pond is looking amazing, and I end up having my lunch break there. There is plenty of milfoil, with the flowering spikes offering convenient resting spots for scores of Small Red-eyed Damselflies and Common Blue Damselflies. 

This is a relatively recent pond that has changed quite a lot in the last few years. The marginal belt of reeds and other plants has grown considerably. The pond is fenced up, but the gate is open, so I walk around and end up sitting with my lunch in one of the openings in the vegetation. A female Emperor is ovipositing on the edge of the pond, while at least two males, one of them with a defective leg, sparr and patrol the pond.

Female Emperor ovipositing.

I watch her for a while and take some videos. Then, a Moorhen makes a splash and when I focus my binoculars on it, I realised it's got an Emperor! It must have been an ovipositing female, which are more vulnerable. Before I can get a photo, the Moorhen has given the emperor to its chick. It looks like a very odd thing to do, but the chick takes it happily and moves into the reeds. Although I knew Moorhens fed on small invertebrates, I would have never expected them to take an Emperor. 

The adult moorhen has just given the Emperor to its chick.

I continue watching the dragonflies and documenting breeding evidence for the pond.

Common Darters mating.

Common Darters ovipositing.

Another Emperor female ovipositing.

Small Red-eye Damselflies ovipositing, the female may be totally submerged while doing so.

A Brown Hawker joins the patrolling Emperors in the pond. The wind picks up and tufts of thistle seed float in the air. The emperors check each one out, before realising they are not insects!

The only Blue-tailed Damselfly I saw.

As I sit on the pond, I notice a Common Emerald amongst the reeds, although I can only get a couple of record shots. 

Male Emerald.

Ruddy Darter.

Brown Hawker, Ruddy Darter and Emerald Damselfly are new species for this site.

I walk to the reservoir, hoping to be able to see some dragonflies and damselflies. It is a large area and even with binoculars there is not much I can cover. I manage to see Common Blue Damselflies, with Small Red-eyes ovipositing and a patrolling Black-tailed Skimmer.

Comma enjoying the blackberries.

Common blue Butterfly. I haven't seen many this year, but by the Ennerdale ponds there was a male and a female.

On my return, there is more activity at Oak Road Lake. There are Small Red-eyes, mating and ovipositing, an Emperor and Common Darters. A young Mallard is perfecting a technique to catch damselflies, by sneaking onto them with lowered head, and then sprinting. It is most amusing to watch.

 Mallard catching damselflies.

Common Darter.

Mating Small Red-eyed Damselflies.

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.