Aire Valley Sightings Blog 6 March 2023

The days are getting longer and the weather is, slowly but surely, warming up! That can only mean one thing…. SPRING is right around the corner! Many of our Winter visitors, such as Fieldfares and Redwings, will now be preparing to soon head home. Take a walk around the Aire Valley to see some of the signs of spring for yourself!

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

1. Red kite
2. Goldeneye
3. Fieldfare
4. Willow tit
5. Avocet
6. Marsh harrier
7. Cetti’s warbler
8. Peregrine falcon
9. Great crested grebe
10. Curlew

Our star species this week is the fieldfare! These large, eye-catching thrushes are on the UK Birds of Conservation Concern Red List with only 0-1 breeding pairs. They’re predominantly wintering birds within the UK therefore they’ll soon be returning to Russia and Scandinavia. While in the UK, they can often be seen intermixing with flocks of redwings in fields and woodlands. Check out our previous blog to discover more about fieldfares and redwings.

Here is a more extensive list of the sightings:

• Avocet, shoveler, great crested grebe, spoonbill, great white egret, mute swan, pink footed goose, jack snipe, goldeneye, curlew, wigeon, lapwing, coot, gooseander and little grebe
• Bullfinch, goldfinch, chaffinch, greenfinch, robin, chiffchaff, blue tit, great tit, reed bunting, Cetti’s warbler, stonechat, fieldfare, redwing, meadow pipit, skylark, goldcrest, green woodpecker and great spotted woodpecker
• Peregrine falcon, marsh harrier, buzzard, red kite, sparrowhawk and kestrel
• Roe deer, red fox

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

1. Goldcrest
2. Bittern
3. Black-tailed godwit
4. Peregrine falcon
5. Tree sparrow
6. Marsh harrier
7. Lesser redpoll
8. Kingfisher
9. Ringed plover
10. Jack snipe

Our star species this week is the bittern! During the Spring, male bitterns can be heard from up to three miles away making a loud booming call. They will begin to boom as early as January to establish territories and attract mates therefore listen out for booming bitterns the next time you are walking around the Aire Valley.

Here is a more extensive list of the sightings:

• Barnacle goose, Canada goose, pink-footed goose, whooper swan, great white egret, little egret, bittern, green sandpiper, golden plover, ringed plover, curlew, redshank, black-tailed godwit, cetti’s warbler, water rail, dunlin, lapwing, pintail, gadwall, mallard, shelduck, wigeon, goldeneye, oystercatcher, moorhen, kingfisher, Caspian gull, Mediterranean gull,
• Goldcrest, treecreeper, chiffchaff, bearded tit, redwing, lesser redpoll, siskin, stonechat, woodcock, great spotted woodpecker,
• Marsh harrier, red kite, buzzard, peregrine falcon, kestrel, sparrowhawk

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 centre and Little Owl Cafe, or by letting us know on social media!

Happy spotting!

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