With winter setting in and many winter migrants being spotted across both reserves, it’s been an exciting couple of weeks in the Aire Valley. This week, a black redstart has been spotted at Fairburn Ings, and there have been lots of sightings of migrants, such as redwing, fieldfare, whooper swans and even barnacle geese!

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

1. Black restart
2. Gooseander
3. Golden…

From mid to late summer, there seems to be a lull of birds, and everything quietens down on our wetlands. However, as autumn comes, wetlands seem to come alive again, as birds move onto wetlands to overwinter, many of which are migrants, heading to the UK where its warmer, from places such as the Arctic.

One of these migrant species is the pink-footed goose (Anser brachyrhynchus), which leave their breeding grounds from…

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…

Hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) are a well-known and charismatic member of our British wildlife that are now unfortunately classed as ‘vulnerable to extinction’ here in the UK, as result of factors such as loss of habitat, increasing traffic and pesticide use. This makes it even more special to see them out and about.

When you see them bumbling about, do you ever wonder what they get up to through the seasons…

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…

In this blog, find out about one of the UK’s most beloved mammals: OTTERS! From their troubled past to tracking them in the wild.

What are Otters?

The Eurasian Otter (Lutra Lutra) is a semi-aquatic mammal found in wetlands, rivers and sometimes along the coast in the UK. They are part of the Mustelid family which in Britain also includes Badgers, Weasels, Stoats, Polecats, Pine Martins and Mink. Their long slender…

It’s been an exciting week in the Aire Valley, with some rarities, such as grey plover, red-crested pochard and hen harrier putting on a show for many visitors. Signs of Autumn have arrived on the reserves, such as redwings, whooper swans, pink-footed geese and stonechats feeding on berries around the reserve. In addition, many of our summer migrants have headed back home, such as swifts and willow warblers.

The…

Fancy supporting the country's largest nature conservation charity?  Volunteering for the RSPB is one of the best ways to do so!

Did you know: 

Here in the Aire Valley, there are two places where you can give nature a home. We have RSPB St Aidan's nature park in Leeds and RSPB Fairburn Ings nature reserve at Castleford and both sites are currently looking for volunteers. From greeting visitors as part of our welcome…

As temperatures begin to drop and the days become shorter, signs of Autumn are becoming more and more obvious.

At Fairburn Ings, prepare for the thousands of waders passing back down this Autumn including Green Sandpiper and Black-Tailed Godwits. Cattle Egret sightings are still being reported as well as of course Great White Egrets and Spoonbills. Despite the cooler weather, there are still plenty of Insects, so make…

It’s been an exciting few weeks in the Aire Valley! At Fairburn Ings, spotted flycatchers have been delighting some visitors, cattle egrets have been seen with the cattle from the Pickup Hide and we’re still getting plenty of insect sight...

Soon, two species of swan may join our resident mute swans (Cygnus olor) at St Aidan’s and Fairburn Ings for the winter.  These swans will come from Iceland and Iberia respectively, and these are the whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus) and Bewick’s swan (Cygnus columbianus bewickii). This can make identifying swans a bit tricky, so here’s a bit of a guide to each bird!

The whooper swan is large and white but has…

We’re currently in that summer lull for birds at RSPB Fairburn Ings, with some birds starting to head home for the winter, like swifts, and others have not yet arrived for the winter. However, there’s still plenty to see! Juvenile birds are starting to get their adult feathers, like the robins who are now starting to develop their red breasts, and painted Ladies, a migrant butterfly, have been seen on the reserve. Keep…

With summer in full swing and the temperatures getting back around the "that'll do" rang, an abundance of wildlife is making the most of the wetlands within the Aire Valley. From hummingbird hawk moths to marsh harriers- there is plenty to see! 

 Image: Reece Smith

Fairburn Ings

There has been plenty on offer at Fairburn Ings over the past couple of weeks from fledglings taking their first flaps, to a stone…

It’s been another couple of lovely weeks at Fairburn Ings, with lots of visitors, volunteers and staff sharing their many and varied wildlife sightings with us. Don’t forget that you can post your sightings online – tag us on Twitter or Facebook – or add to the sightings books at each site in person!

Juvenile long-tailed tit (AV archive) - photo by Mac Wontorowski

The reserve is now looking…

It’s been another couple of lovely weeks in the Aire Valley, with lots of visitors, volunteers and staff sharing their wildlife sightings with us, whether that be over social media or in our sightings book (which you can add to in the visitor’s centre)!

Fairburn Ings is now looking very lush and green, and wildflowers can be found throughout. Once again, the bitterns have been putting on quite a show for several…

When visiting Fairburn Ings, you may have noticed our Wildlife Garden, just next to the Visitor Centre - or perhaps you’ve enjoyed the splash of colour the new planters at St Aidan’s have brought? Have you ever wondered who looks after these?

Well, it’s us! The Aire Valley Wildlife Gardening Team. We are a small team of volunteers who work across both sites - at Fairburn Ings we're expanding and developing…

Scarlett has been volunteering at St Aidan's since 2018, as a Ranger and as a Reserve Assistant, initially through the Young Volunteer scheme.

"I voiced an interest in volunteering with the RSPB at 14 years old in early 2018, the year I commenced my Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award and was required to do a regular set of hours contributing my time to our community. As I’d already chosen a path in conservation for my…

Penny Chatfield has been a volunteer in the Little Owl Café at St Aidan’s since April 2022.

“I have been a member of the RSPB for about 30 years, and have always wanted to be more involved in a practical way. So now that my children are older, I decided to do just that! I first visited St Aidan’s in 2016, and when I saw the Facebook post asking for volunteers this year, I decided to go for it. I am a nurse…

Once again, today – 1st June – is the start of National Volunteers’ Week. This is our opportunity to say Thank You to all our amazing volunteers and celebrate the huge amount of work they do in the Aire Valley.

Volunteering is vital to the RSPB - we were founded by a small group of dedicated and passionate volunteers. Today, volunteers remain at the heart of everything we do as an organisation. Over…

It’s been an exciting time in the Aire Valley recently, with lots of sightings of amazing wildlife submitted by our visitors, staff and volunteers! It’s been particularly exciting to hear of sightings of summer migrants, like common swifts and sand martins, as well as lots of interesting insect sightings. It’s a fantastic time of year to be out and about exploring both sites!

Fairburn Ings has been…

As we celebrate International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, we’re reflecting on the incredible contribution the founding women of the RSPB made, and how their efforts continue to be vital part of our conservation mission today.

In 1889, Emily Williamson created the Society for the Protection of Birds with one core aim: to fight a fashion for feathers and exotic plumes that were driving birds…

As another year draws to a close, it feels like an appropriate time to reflect on the ups and downs of life at RSPB St Aidan’s. A lot has happened over the last 12 months, but I’ll try to capture some  highlights and lowlights over the following paragraphs.

 

We found ourselves back in lockdown at the beginning of the year, and those local visitors coming down to give their year list a good start were unfortunately…

We’re delighted to be partnering with Netflix and Aardman on Robin Robin, a half-hour, stop-motion, festive story for the whole family, about a young robin trying to fit in. It’s debuting on Netflix on 24 November – get the date in your diary! 

To celebrate, we’re inviting you to join exclusive Robin Robin-themed adventure trails right here at Fairburn Ings and St Aidan's this Christmas season. 

Over 30…

Last week was an exciting and hectic week at St. Aidan’s. As we’re now settling back to some level of normality, I’d like to share a few of my reflections of our rare visitor.

I was driving round the eastern reedbed on a sunny Friday afternoon, when I was stopped by a few of the local birders to show me a bird they were looking at. There was some debate as to the identity of the bird; initial thoughts…

As we move into October, the Aire Valley is starting to feel very autumnal. Alongside the changing colours of the leaves and the beautiful sunsets, there’s a sudden chill in the air – but there’s still plenty to see and do on site! Here’s a round up of what’s going on this month…

Autumn means that our winter migrants are starting to move in. Recent sightings at St Aidan’s have included…