The chilly weather is definitely bringing the birds out for all to see lately, as they’re busy fattening up for winter.
Wednesday was a good day for ducks, with both a goldeneye and a pintail seen on north flash. Sixteen goosanders were also spotted on the flashes. These handsome diving ducks are a member of the sawbill family, so-called because of their long, serrated bills which are used for catching fish.
Thursday held a surprise of its own, as two swallows were seen flying north west over the flashes! It’s well past time they were on their way south, so I hope they’re well on their way by now!
On Friday there was plenty to see on the visitor centre feeders, including willow and coal tits. These small birds can be told apart as willow tits are slightly bigger, and coal tits have a white flash on the back of their necks. The shy and secretive willow tits are at the bottom of the pecking order when it comes to visiting the feeders, so you’re lucky to spot one of these lovely little birds when they do!
Also seen on Friday, from Bob Dickens hide, were redwings, long-tailed tits and a jay! I’ve only seen jays a few times whilst I’ve been at Fairburn, and as they are woodland birds they are usually spotted around the riverbank trail where all the trees are. It’s a nice surprise when you do spot one, as they are arguably the prettiest member of the crow family.
Redwings have been spotted daily recently – wherever there are trees and bushes with berries, you will see them fluttering quietly through the branches in groups. A good place to see them at the moment is around the discovery trail, as there is plenty of tree cover and lots of berries up for grabs!
An elusive water rail was seen yesterday at Pickup hide – it just goes to show that with some warm layers and a little patience, you’ll be rewarded for your efforts! Also seen at Pickup yesterday was a treecreeper – these lovely little brown birds remind me of mice as they scamper quickly up the tree trunks. They use their slender little beaks to pick insects out of the cracks in the bark.
A daily sight which has been charming our visitors lately are the kingfishers at the viewing screen. As the leaves start to fall and everything goes a little grey with the coming winter, there’s no lovelier sight than an electric blue kingfisher looking for his next meal.
Why not come down to the reserve for an invigorating autumn stroll and tell us what you’ve seen?