If you've been to Fairburn Ings recently you may have noticed how low the water levels are here. Whilst we have really enjoyed the unseasonably hot weather for the last few days, what we really, desparately need is some rain, actually, make that lots of rain!!
In spite of the dry conditions, we have still had plenty of sightings in the past few days. Wetland birds are obvioulsy not here in great numbers but we have had curlew, teal and snipe at Pickup, gadwall, widgeon, goldern eye, pochard, turfted duck and shoveller at Bob Dickens. From Lin Dike there have been several ruff sightings, plus little egret and pintail. There was a flock of lapwings over the visitor centre on Saturday. This morning there have been greensandpiper and greenshank at the Flashes and pintail and little egret at the Moat.
A long eared owl was seen down at the Lin Dike end of the reserve earlier this week, a sure sign that, although it doesn't feel like it right now, winter is on it's way. We have had several sightings of green woodpeckers across the reserve, along the new path, on the Discovery Trail, at Pickup and flying towards Newfield Farm. A water rail has been seen frequently at Pickup, on Saturday it was seen driving away a group of tree sparrows and then a stoat! It's a feisty little water rail. We have had several sightings of the stoat, as well as it's tangle with a water rail at Pickup, one was seen at the top of Red Shale Road on Saturday. A fox was seen on Friday just off Red Shale Road too.
Kingfishers have been seen most days on the reserve at a variety of locations, inlcuding down by Bob Dickens Hide and at the Kingfisher Screen. Marsh harriers have also been spotted on the New Path and from Pickup. Other birds of prey seen recently include buzzards over Newfield Plantation, a sparrowhawk and red kite at Pickup, merlin at the Flashes and opposite the Moat, and a peregine from Lin Dike.
We've had plenty of warblers including blackcap, willow warbler and garden warbler, seen across the site plus reed bunting and treecreeper at Pickip, willow tit at Lin Dike and regularly on the visitor centre feeders and goldcrests at Lin Dike, jays have also been seen at Lin Dike and along the new path.