Fairburn Ings is teaming with great wildlife sightings at the moment! Yesterday and this morning we had a pair of spoonbills over at Pickup hide; they have been lingering around Pickup this morning and have been spotted flying over towards the Moat and Lyn Dyke. This is the second sighting of this heavily conserved bird here at Fairburn this year, and is definitely worth a look for their classic spoon bill! Pickup hide has also played home to a family of avocets this week! They travelled from Main bay where they hatched right over to Pickup hide, believably for more safety and perhaps for a bit of a break from the black-headed gulls! These are chicks are about 5/8’s in size so we’re hoping that they will reach adulthood. They are already loosing their downy feathers and adapting their classic black and white plumage. These will hopefully be the first successfully bred avocet chicks ever at Fairburn Ings!
Avocet chicks - Chris Gomersall (RSPB-images)
Whilst walking up to Bob Dickens hide the other morning I was amazed at how many brown butterflies were fluttering amongst the undergrowth, they were meadow browns. These are starting to emerge now in June/July and are very similar to speckled woods but without the white eyes on the wings. Other fluttery spectacles include ringlet butterflies and gate keepers which are also becoming more common now in summer. Blue tailed damselflies have been plentiful all along Cut Lane this week, with over 300 being counted in one day! Ruddy darter damselflies have also been spotted this week around the reserve. These are smaller than common darters, males are red and females are more of an orangey-brown, both with forward facing wings. They prefer weedy ponds so the discovery trail is great place to find these amazing damselflies.
Male ruddy darter – Graham Calow (Nature Spot)
Viper bugloss has been growing steadily next to the visit centre these past few weeks, this flower is considered an invasive species in some areas as it originally comes from Europe but you still have to appreciate the beautiful colours of this flower. The buds start off pink and turn blue with red stamens poking out of the flower head. Another tiny delicate flower I have noticed growing along cut lane is woody nightshade, or bittersweet. This is a beautiful small purple flower with a long yellow centre which grows right in the hedgerows; you do have to look very carefully to see them! Himalayan balsam is flowering at the moment and lots can be seen down by the kissing gate on the way towards cut lane. Although these are invasive you still can appreciate the striking large pink flowers!
Woody Nightshade – Victor Thomas Coughtrey
We had a great viewing of a red kite swooping over Big Hole this morning and a peregrine was spotted by the Pylon next to the flashes. Loads of little egrets have been spotted lately. Seven were seen at Lyn Dyke hide yesterday, with plenty more at Pickup, Lyn Dyke and over by the Flashes. A water rail was also spotted by Parkers pond making the familiar squeaking sound! A mandarin has just been sighted by the duck and swan feeding platform opposite the car park. There is also plenty of juvenile action around the reserve, with juvenile blue tits surrounding the feeders and competing for feed alongside the adults. There is definitely plenty about here at Fairburn Ings so why not pop down this weekend for a spot!