Fairburn Ings

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Photo by Keith Dickinson
Spoonbill-flash, at Fairburn Ings, looking west towards Castleford

Overview

Fairburn Ings is an area of shallow lakes and marsh formed by the subsidence of mine-workings, and the surrounding grazing land, scrub and woodland along the Aire River. Very close to some heavily industrialised land, this forms an important wetland area for breeding, passage and, particularly, wintering birds.

Birds

Around 70 species are known to have bred in this area including Great Crested Grebe and Little Grebes, ducks such as Northern Shoveler and Gadwall, and Common Tern, Little Ringed Plover, Northern Lapwing, Common Redshank and Common Snipe. The reedbeds hold Sedge and Reed Warblers and Reed Bunting. Little Owl and both species of partridge can be seen on the adjacent farmland as well as Corn Bunting.

During passage periods these wetlands are visited by terns including Arctic Tern and Black Tern, Little Gull, which has attempted to breed, and waders such as Ruff, Spotted Redshank and Greenshank. Osprey is a rare but regular passage visitor. In winter Whooper Swan is now regular along with other waterfowl such as Northern Pintail, Common Goldeneye and Goosander with Smew in severe weather. The woods and scrub attract large flocks of wintering thrushes and finches. Iceland Gull has been recorded with some frequency in recent years. Blue-winged Teal and Bonaparte's Gull are among the rare vagrants recorded at Fairburn Ings.

Check-list

Birds you can see here include:

Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Mute Swan, Bewick's Swan, Whooper Swan, Canada Goose, Common Shelduck, Eurasian Wigeon, Gadwall, Common Teal, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Common Goldeneye, Smew, Goosander, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Osprey, Common Kestrel, Merlin, Red-legged Partridge, Grey Partridge, Water Rail, Common Moorhen, Common Coot, Little Ringed Plover, Eurasian or European Golden Plover, Northern Lapwing, Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin, Ruff, Common Snipe, Eurasian Curlew, Spotted Redshank, Common Redshank, Common Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Little Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Iceland Gull, Glaucous Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Common Tern, Arctic Tern, Black Tern, Little Owl, Short-eared Owl, Common Swift, Common Kingfisher, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Yellow Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Common Wren, Dunnock, European Robin, Whinchat, European Stonechat, Common Redstart, Eurasian Blackbird, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Sedge Warbler, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Black-billed Magpie, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, Eurasian Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, Northern Redpoll, Reed Bunting, Corn Bunting

Access

The reserve stretches up the Aire Valley from the village of Fairburn which lies immediately west of the A1 in North Yorkshire. There is a public footpath from the village to the reserve which has hides overlooking the lakes, a raised boardwalk and information centre.

External Links

• The RSPB: Fairburn Ings

Reviews

Keith Dickinson's review

The area is well watched and reported at the visitor centre. It is one of the best sites in the area for Smew, my best daily total is 7 birds inc 3 seperate males. Marsh Harriers are becoming more regular and Common Buzzards are seen very regularly.

Good for warblers in summer, Grasshopper Warbler, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat and the commoner ones.

Long-eared Owls are being seen more regularly on the reserve, having roosted during the winter months for the past couple of years, (2005-6 and 2006-7)

Pros

• Open all hours. The path at the Lin Dyke (western end of the reserve) has been remade with stone chippings so is now passable in all weathers.

Cons

• parking away from reserve visitor centre can be tempting to thieves, the RSPB have tried to remedy this by cutting the trees at the Lin Dyke car park, now it's on open view to the road so less tempting to thieves.

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j.catherall's review

Pros

• Road runs full lengh of reserve.Free. highest tally of birds at any inland site.

Cons

• parking can be a problem