RSPB Aire Valley

With the return of the warm weather I decided to have a day out at RSPB Fairburn Ings followed by a visit to Swillington Ings. Fairburn was lively with lots of Wildfowl and other water birds but the highlight was certainly the Heronry which I viewed from the Coal Tip Trail. Here I got excellent views of at least eight Spoonbill, as well as ample Little Egret and Grey Heron, plus the single summer plumage Cattle Egret that had been lingering at the site for over a week. An adult and juvenile Willow Tit were the best of the supporting cast, with nice views of Shelduck and Little Ringed Plover as well.

-Willow Tit

-Spoonbill, Little Egret & Grey Heron

Swillington was very busy and since it was early afternoon it was also very warm but I still managed to see Bearded Tit, albeit breifly, and a single adult Black-necked Grebe with a chick. The site hosts an impressive Black-headed Gull colony, so the overall numbers of birds were still extrmemely impressive despite the afternoon lul.

Species List:
RSPB Fairburn Ings: Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Common Shelduck, Gadwall, Mallard, Eurasian Teal, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Common Pheasant, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Common Swift, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Pied Avocet, Northern Lapwing, Little Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, Common Tern, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Western Cattle Egret, Eurasian Spoonbill, Common Buzzard, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Coal Tit, Willow Tit, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Sedge Warbler, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Willow Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Cetti's Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Dunnock, Pied Wagtail, Common Chaffinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting, Grey Squirrel, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Small Skipper, Small White, Banded Demoiselle, Black-tailed Skimmer,

Swillington Ings: Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, Mallard, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Northern Lapwing, Black-headed Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Common Tern, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Bearded Reedling, Sedge Warbler, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Sand Martin, Willow Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Cetti's Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Meadow Pipit, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting, Black-tailed Skimmer, Emperor Dragonfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly,