Wild at Hull: Redpolls and Chiffchaffs at Noddle Hill Nature Reserve

Monday 17 March 2014

Redpolls and Chiffchaffs at Noddle Hill Nature Reserve

A dull, cloudy, breezy day, I headed to Noddle Hill for an early spring walk. The sallows and willows are in full bloom, and, despite the cloud, there were a number of active Buff-tailed bumblebees about.
As soon as I start the woodland walk, I hear the song of a Chiffchaff. Soon, other replies and I manage some shots. A pair of Bullfinches feeds on buds, and Greenfinch, Chaffinch and Goldfinch are singing. As I enter the open scrub northern side of the reserve, I hear some chirps, they come from a few Tree Sparrows, the first time I see them on the reserve. There are also many Linnets about.
Near the pumping station, a couple of Carrion Crows mob a Buzzard (a first for the reserve). The wind makes it almost impossible to take shots, unfortunately.
I peek into the drain hoping for a Kingfisher, but I spook a couple of Teal (also a first for the reserve), mallard and a Moorhen instead.
I walk along the criss-crossing paths. The hoof prints of Roe Deer are marked on many of them. There are 20+ Greylags on the fishing lake, but little else. Just as I was going to leave, I see some birds on the alders by the pond. They are Lesser Redpolls. Some look wet, like they just had a bath. They appear to be feeding alder buds and, when they fly to a tree nearby I see the flock is about 15 strong. They come back to the alder and carry on feeding, doing acrobatics like tits and keeping quiet.
Skylarks are singing around the reserve. On a ploughed field by the entrance, a large Starling flock feeds with Carrion Crows, Woodpigeons and a pair of Stock Dove.