I’m happy to report that after a few weeks of not seeing many wildfowl around the reserve, they seem to be back with a vengeance!! Large flocks of wigeon have been spotted on the flashes from Lin Dyke hide and the Lin Dyke link trail – wigeon are definitely one of my favourites because the males have such beautiful colours. The soft colours of their buff peachy chests, grey wings and white rump patch contrast perfectly with their rusty reddish-brown heads and mustard-yellow forehead stripe! We have small numbers of breeding wigeon in the UK in the summer, in northern and central Scotland and northern England, but most of the birds we see in the winter are visiting from the chilly climes of Iceland, Scandinavia and Russia.
Wigeon image by Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)
Another lovely duck which we’ve been seeing lately is the gadwall – I think it’s fair to say that these birds are a little underappreciated, because they are, in no uncertain terms, very grey. From a distance, you can identify these birds by their leaden-grey plumage and an obvious black rump patch, but see them a little closer and you will appreciate how beautiful they really are. Their smoky grey plumage is not in fact just a solid colour, instead it’s made up of exquisitely fine barring and speckling, which blends into a soft nut-brown head.
Gadwall artwork by Mike Langman (rspb-images.com)
The goldeneyes which have been seen so frequently on Main Bay seem to have decamped to the River Aire, just the other side of the riverbank trail, with as many as 15 being seen at once! Keep an eye out for them as you walk through the woods – the startling white breast, flanks and cheek patches of the males make them easy to spot through the branches, you just have to be quick to get your binoculars on them before they dive!
Last but not least for today’s blog, we have the ever-present but always lovely wren. One of our smallest UK birds, wrens are widespread across the nation in an amazing variety of habitats, from woodland to moorland, and most gardens.
Wren image by John Bridges (rspb-images.com)
We all know good things come in small packages, and wrens are no exception – their remarkably loud voices and cheeky personalities mean that these tiny brown birds have bags of character, and we’ve seen loads bustling around in the undergrowth over the past couple of days in the icy weather. Watch them at the sides of our trails, industriously hopping about in search of insects and spiders – they never keep still, and are a pleasure to watch.
Why not come for a visit and enjoy the wildlife that Fairnurn Ings has to offer this winter - you'll be guaranteed a lovely walk!