Aire Valley Sightings Blog 5th February 2023

It’s been another great week for wildlife sightings within the Aire valley! A tree sparrow has been making the occasional appearance around RSPB St Aidan’s. They’re smaller than a house sparrow and have unfortunately suffered a devastating decline making them a red list species. Visitors over at RSPB Fairburn Ings are still enjoying the winter birds such as Goldeneye, Fieldfare, and Redwing. Most birds which spend their winter in England will usually leave in February or March however its not uncommon for some to stay longer. There are however small breeding populations of Goldeneye and Redwing in Scotland.

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

1. Goldeneye
2. Little Grebe
3. Marsh Harrier
4. Fieldfare
5. Red Kite
6. Meadow Pipit
7. Kingfisher
8. Goosander
9. Cetti’s warbler
10. Curlew

Our star species this week is the Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula). This species is on the UK birds of conservation concern red list therefore is in urgent need of our help. They’re most commonly seen in England during the winter with around 21,000 birds wintering within the UK.

Here is a more extensive list of the sightings:

• Goldeneye, great white egret, cetti’s warbler, goosander, curlew, wigeon, mallard, coot, moorhen, tufted duck, pintail, garganey, teal, mute swan, whooper swan, greylag goose, grey heron, great crested grebe, little grebe, cormorant, black-headed gull, common gull, lapwing
• Stonechat, fieldfare, redwing, meadow pipit, skylark, bullfinch, goldfinch, chaffinch, blue tit, great tit, long-tailed tit, willow tit, bearded tit, wren, reed bunting, goldcrest, treecreeper, jay, robin, blackbird, siskin, great spotted woodpecker, green woodpecker
• Red kite, marsh harrier, buzzard, kestrel

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

1. Water pipit
2. Kingfisher
3. Bittern
4. Siskin
5. Barnacle goose 
6. Marsh harrier
7. Golden plover
8. Tree sparrow
9. Grey partridge
10. Woodcock

Our star species this week is the grey partridge (perdix perdix) This species is unfortunately also on the UK birds of conservation concern red list despite once being very common and widespread. They’re ground birds and are found in groups of between 6-15 which are known as coveys.

Here is a more extensive list of the sightings:

• Little Egret, great white egret, black-necked grebe, green sandpiper, herring gull, caspian gull, lesser black-backed gull, pink-footed goose, greylag goose, Canada goose, barnacle goose, grey heron, bittern, goldeneye, cetti’s warbler, shoveler, woodcock, curlew, goosander, oystercatcher, shelduck, pintail, wigeon, water rail, golden plover, snipe, ruff, dunlin, kingfisher
• Tree sparrow, bearded tit, stonechat, green woodpecker, great spotted woodpecker, grey partridge, yellowhammer, reed bunting, skylark, redpoll, mistle thrush, redwing, fieldfare, goldcrest, bullfinch, goldfinch, chiffchaff, treecreeper, nuthatch, siskin, song thrush, grey wagtail
• Marsh harrier, peregrine falcon, hobby, kestrel, buzzard, red kite, sparrowhawk, barn owl, little owl

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! Happy spotting!

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