Aire Valley sightings blog- 15 April 2023

Someone has finally let the sun know that Spring is here! The wet and cold days from the last few weeks have been replaced with some glorious warm weather just in time for Easter! From blooming daffodils, to migrating sand martins beginning to arrive from Africa, it won’t be long until Spring is in full swing!

The top ten sightings recently at RSPB Fairburn Ings have been:                                                                                                                  

• Willow warbler
• Peregrine falcon
• Marsh harrier
• Wheatear
• Redshank
• Great spotted woodpecker
• Red kite
• Yellowhammer
• Goldeneye
• Avocet

Our star species this week is the avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta). This fantastically patterned wader is the emblem for the RSPB and massively symbolises the bird protection movement in the UK. Their return and gradual recovery in the late 1940’s represents one of the best conservation success stories!

Here is a more extensive list of the sightings:                                                                                                                                         

• Whooper swan, canada goose, pink-footed goose, great white egret, little egret, spoonbill, grey heron, cormorant, common tern, black-necked grebe, kingfisher, goldeneye, shelduck, tufted duck, shoveler, wigeon, gadwall, mallard, moorhen, coot, oystercatcher, redshank, little ringed plover, teal, avocet,
• Sand martin, willow warbler, wheatear, bearded tit, skylark, blackcap, yellowhammer, redwing, fieldfare, raven, green woodpecker, blackbird, wren, blue tit, great tit, chaffinch, goldfinch, greenfinch
• Red kite, buzzard, peregrine falcon, marsh harrier, kestrel

The top ten sightings at RSPB St Aidan’s recently have been: 

•  Osprey
• Swallow
• Kittiwake
• Little owl
• Bittern
• Black-necked grebe
• Ruff
• Barn owl
• Water pipit
• Sand martin

Our star species this week is the Osprey (Pandion haliaetus). This impressive bird of prey spends Winter in West Africa before returning to the UK in Spring to breed. They’re largely monogamous (have one mate at a time) and will often nest in the same spot with the same mate each year. We have no nesting ospreys here in the Aire Valley however each year we get exciting migrating osprey sightings as they stop off to refuel!

Here is a more extensive list of the sightings:                                                                                                                                        

• Kingfisher, goldeneye, shelduck, shoveler, tufted duck, wigeon, gadwall, pochard, mallard, coot, moorhen, oystercatcher, lapwing, water pipit, redshank, common tern, kittiwake, Mediterranean gull, black – headed gull, barnacle goose, Canada goose, greylag goose, whooper swan, mute swan, little egret, great crested grebe, black-necked grebe, bittern, grey heron, cormorant, ruff, avocet, little ringed plover, black-tailed godwit, black-necked grebe, woodcock, yellow wagtail, dunlin, curlew, green sandpiper,
• Swallow, sand martin, house martin, blackcap, blackbird, wren, bluetit, great tit, chaffinch, goldfinch, greenfinch, brambling, tree sparrow, dunnock, chiffchaff, skylark, meadow pipit, willow warbler, reed warbler, cetti’s warbler, reed bunting, bearded tit, fieldfare, redwing, wood pigeon, magpie, crow, raven, pheasant, green woodpecker,
• Osprey, buzzard, sparrowhawk, kestrel, red kite, marsh harrier, little owl, barn owl
• Brown hare, roe deer, stoat

When you're out and about at RSPB Fairburn Ings and RSPB St Aidan's do let us know what you spot.

You can do this by writing in the sightings book in the visitor centres, or by letting us know on social media!

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Happy spotting!