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St Aidans

The days are becoming shorter, the temperature is becoming colder, and the trees are becoming barer. Autumn is here! Thousands of wading birds will be passing through the Aire Valley on their migration while large numbers of starlings begin to gather, forming magical murmuration’s! Formed before roosting for the night, it’s believed that these impressive murmuration’s occur to confuse predators such as peregrine falcons, which are sometimes sighted around the Aire Valley, and to keep warm at night.

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

  • Peregrine falcon
  • Curlew
  • Great white egret
  • Black tailed godwit
  • Redwing
  • Pink footed goose
  • Greenshank
  • Bearded tit
  • Cattle egret
  • Wheatear

Our star species this week is the black tailed godwit! These wading birds are a schedule 1 species and have a red UK conservation status. In comparison to their bright orangey-brown summer plumage, their winter feathers are greyish brown.

Here is a more extensive list of the sightings:

  • Mediterranean gull, caspian gull, herring gull, common gull, pintail, teal, shoveler, snipe, whooper swan, pink footed goose, skylark, white egret, cattle egret, curlew, ruff, sandpiper, lapwing, black-tailed godwit, greenshank, ringed plover, bittern
  • Stonechat, blackcap, redwing, raven, jay, chiffchaff, linnet, willow tit, bearded tit, willow tit, long-tailed tit, siskin, grey wagtail, mistle thrush, green woodpecker, great spotted woodpecker, goldfinch, wren
  • Marsh harrier, red kite, buzzard, peregrine falcon, kestrel, hobby
  • Roe deer

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

  • Marsh harrier
  • Bittern
  • Little stint
  • Hobby
  • Curlew
  • Goldeneye
  • Red kite
  • Skylark
  • Greenshank
  • Little owl

Our star species this week is the skylark! Due to it’s recent dramatic population decline, the skylark is unfortunately a red list species. They have a small crest which is raised when excited or alarmed.

Here is a more extensive list of the sightings:

  • Whooper swan, pink footed goose, greylag goose, little egret, great white egret, grey heron, bittern, ruff, common snipe, jack snipe, golden plover, black-tailed godwit, black-necked grebe, little grebe, great crested grebe, pintail, water rail, goldeneye, dunlin, curlew, redshank, little stint, kingfisher, teal, goosander, shoveler, pochard, gadwall, mallard, tufted duck, moorhen, coot, lapwing, black-headed gull, common gull, blackwit, cormorant, green sandpiper, common sandpiper, garganey, little ringed plover, common tern
  • Redwing, stonechat, blackcap, cetti’s warbler, goldfinch, greenfinch, linnet, long-tailed tit, bearded tit, great tit, mistle thrush, wren
  • Marsh harrier, red kite, buzzard, peregrine falcon, hobby, sparrowhawk
  • Roe deer, red fox

When you’re out and about at RSPB Fairburn Ings and RSPB St Aidan’s, let us know what you spot. You can do this by writing in the sightings book in the Little Owl Café or Visitor Centre, or by letting us know on social media! Happy spotting!

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