Well, the start of another year’s birdwatching is well under way. You can enjoy birds as just a casual observer out for a walk and enjoying what you see or you could begin a list recording what you see either at a local reserve or area you frequent, known as a “patch”. It is a good way of learning about birds, linking birds to different habitats and also what you are likely to see at different times of the year. If your birding is more widespread you could keep a county list, UK list or all three! The BTO (British Trust for Ornithology) have an excellent website which has a Tracker for recording the birds you see and it’s up to you on the detail provided, from merely ticking a species that you see to its activity or behaviour, it’s completely up to you. Just listing the species you see can provide vital information which contributes to the overall picture of the population and wellbeing of the different species in the UK. This is the link for the BTO tracker https://app.bto.org/birdtrack/main/data-home.jsp
And don’t forget the diary in the visitor centre to record your sightings, these will provide a valuable contribution towards the Fairburn Ings annual bird report.
Grey heron - Pete M
Flashes
A great white egret has been seen around the flashes on 3 different days, usually noted around Spoonbill Flash and New Flash. A single barnacle goose has also been seen amongst a flock of canada geese on 9th January. Up to ten pintail have been recorded with a maximum 23 on the reserve on 9th January. Other species seen have been goldeneye, little egret (eight on the reserve on 2nd January), up to four curlew, a single snipe, and the resident whooper swan. Raptors noted have been buzzard, peregrine and sparrowhawk.
Great white egret - Keith Boyer
Main Bay and Village Bay
An unseasonal oystercatcher made an appearance in front of Charlies Hide on 8th January. Kingfishers have also been seen around the Cut Lane area as well as willow tit and two little egrets. A woodcock was seen at dusk from the riverbank trail towards Bob Dickens hide on 5th January and a barn owl also seen at dusk on 10th January. Two goldcrest and a treecreeper have also been seen from Bob Dickens hide. Both pintail and goldeneye have been seen on main bay with an unconfirmed sighting of seven red-crested pochard on 7th January by a visitor.
Treecreeper - Keith Boyer
Coal Tips
Raptors noted were sparrowhawk, buzzard, kestrel and a marsh harrier on January 12th. A flock of 40 linnets were noted on 3rd January, two bearded tits on 9th January, and a mealy redpoll was amongst twenty lesser redpolls on 11th January. Up to two little egrets have been seen frequenting Big Hole.
Kestrel - Pete M
Discovery Trail and visitor centre
Flocks of goldfinches and lesser redpolls can be seen flitting around the tree tops with the odd siskin, also goldcrest, treecreeper, willow tit, nuthatch and chiffchaff.
Lesser redpoll - Pete M
Three buzzards and two red kites were seen from the visitor centre on 6th January. Up to four house sparrows have also been seen around the feeders and the road side hedge, not a common sighting around the reserve.
House sparrow - Pete M
A bittern was seen at Hicksons on 10th January, and 6 rooks and a yellowhammer were also noted in a field west of Fairburn village.
The gull roost has included up to 7500 herring gull, 1250 black-headed gull, 200 great black-backed gulls with lesser black-backed gull, mediterranean gull (adult winter), yellow-legged gull (1st winter).
The goosander roost has had up to 116 birds, a maximum of 10,000 starlings were reported on 2nd January. Also 300 jackdaws were noted in the roost on 9th January.