Snow? At the end of April! There has been every imaginable type of weather at Fairburn this week; rain, hail, sleet, snow, high winds, and a few rays of sunshine. There have also been some pretty nifty sightings, which is why we’re all here!

Swift, Mike Langman (rspb-images.com)

First off, because it’s the thing I am absolutely the most excited about, is the return of the swifts. I am yet to see one, but there…

More migrants have been arriving this week and the air is beginning to fill with a greater variety of song. Up on the Coal Tips trail it is impossible to miss the erratic ascent of skylarks and their high, trilling song.

Willow warbler, John Bridges (rspb-images.com)

Across the reserve there are blackcap and willow warblers singing, and chiffchaffs seem to be all over the place. There are smart male Reed buntings all…

Well, we may as well begin with the big sighting of the week; the osprey!  Our Assistant Warden, John, claims that he has spent the past two years giving every gull over Fairburn a shrewd assessment during the spring and summer. His diligence paid off on Wednesday when he spotted an osprey flying West over the visitor centre up towards the flashes.

Osprey, Chris Gomersall (rspb-images.com)

Ospreys are beautiful, fish…