Sightings Blog

It’s been an incredible few weeks in the Aire Valley with many spectacular species treating visitors to a day they won’t forget! Over at RSPB Fairburn Ings, plenty of winter birds are noticeably beginning to arrive such as redwing, fieldfare, and goldeneye. At RSPB St Aidan's, visitors have lately been treated to breath-taking views of an Osprey around Astley Lake!

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

• Goldeneye
• Peregrine falcon
• Curlew
• Willow tit
• Marsh harrier
• Skylark
• Reed bunting
• Fieldfare
• Snipe
• Black tailed godwit

Our star species this week is the goldeneye! This medium-sized diving duck can mainly be spotted during Winter when the goldeneye migrates here from Northern Europe. Unfortunately, they’re classified as red under the UK conservation status. However, conservation efforts have helped small numbers of goldeneye to nest in Scotland.

Here is a more extensive list of the sightings:

• Common gull, herring gull, black headed gull, mediterranean gull, whooper swan, pink footed goose, greylag goose, brent goose, great white egret, little egret, cattle egret, spoonbill, little grebe, great crested grebe, goldeneye, shoveler, goosander, pintail, curlew, dunlin, snipe, water rail, bittern
• Goldcrest, chiffchaff, reed bunting, bearded tit, skylark, redwing, fieldfare, yellowhammer, golden plover, wood pigeon, linnet, stonechat, jay, raven, starling, siskin, mistle thrush, green woodpecker, great spotted woodpecker, wren, goldfinch, long-tailed tit
• Peregrine, red kite, marsh harrier, buzzard, kestrel, sparrowhawk, hobby

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

• Osprey!
• Bittern
• Marsh harrier
• Greenshank
• Stonechat
• Kingfisher
• Redpoll
• Whooper swan
• Water rail
• Black-necked grebe

Our star species this week is of course the osprey! Ospreys are a migratory bird and is present in the UK during the Summer – their stronghold being in Scotland. When migrating back to West Africa for winter (and migrating back to the UK in Spring), they often stop off at their favourite feeding sites along the way. For this particular osprey, RSPB St Aidan's and the Aire Valley is being used as one of its hunting and resting sites! Our wetland haven is perfect habitat for the Osprey to rest up while providing visitors and photographers with excellent views!

Here is a more extensive list of the sightings:

• Goldcrest, siskin, redpoll, hawfinch, brambling, tree creeper, redwing, fieldfare, stonechat, water pipit, rock pipit, ring-necked parakeet, woodpigeon, mistle thrush, winter thrush, starling, blackbird, grey partridge, green woodpecker
• Osprey, marsh harrier, buzzard, kestrel, red kite, sparrow hawk, peregrine falcon, tawny owl
• Bittern, grey heron, great white egret, cattle egret, little egret, spoonbill, whooper swan, mute swan, pink footed goose, greylag goose, kingfisher, cormorant, lapwing, black-tailed godwit, black-necked grebe, ruff, dunlin, coot, goldeneye, pintail, teal, tufted duck, wigeon, goosander, curlew, golden plover, snipe, sanderling, green sandpiper, greenshank, woodcock
• 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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