RSPB Fairburn Ings

RSPB Fairburn Ings (06/05/21)

Situated 3 miles north east of Castleford, Fairburn Ings is one of the first RSPB reserves I ever visited, back in about 1974 when I was a spotty and rather awkward teenager with a pair of oversized binoculars slung around my neck. I would have been with a couple of other spotty teenagers and I can still remember a sense of awe at being at a 'proper' bird reserve. It was a couple of years before the RSPB took over stewardship, there was no visitor centre, only a couple of makeshift hides, no extensive trails and definitely no Spoonbills!

How things change, and this case change for the bettter. Fairburn has probably doubled in size since the early 1970s, the site has matured nicely, has a variety of easily accessible trails and probably attracts more bird and other wildlife species than it did back then. One thing that remains constant though are the giant spoil heaps, a reminder of Fairburn's mining history. 'From coal face to nature place' - the whole of this area was extensively mined from the late 18^th century onwards and all of the lagoons you see today are the result of subsidence due to all that underground mining activity. The subsidence and resultant flooding from the nearby River Aire became so bad in the late 19^th century that the then coal board deemed Fairburn only good enough as a place for storing waste from other nearby coal mines – hence the giant spoil heaps, and then all coal mining operations in the area ceased between 1985 – 1992. Interesting stuff and if you want more the Fairburn Birders have a good page on their website.

I was a bit pushed for time the day I visited and only did the southern half of the reserve and apart from getting some location shots for this post I was interested in one thing, and one thing only - and no it wasn't bent coppers! (that will make no sense at all unless you're a 'Line of Duty' fan!) – it was Spoonbills. They're becoming more common in the UK now and I've seen them at various locations but not caught up with this small breeding population here at Fairburn.

Parking at the Lin Dike end I walked down Arrrow Lane, lots of singing Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaffs, and stopped for a natter with a chap at one of the viewing areas looking out on to newly named Spoonbill Flash. He'd had some great views of Spoonbills the day before and was patiently waiting for some more. I gave it 20 minutes but sadly no show.

site map, rspb fairburn ings arrow lane, rspb fairburn ings

spoonbill flash, rspb fairburn ings

At the end of the lane I decided to turn left and walked along the public footpath that more or less borders Spoonbil Flash and heads over towards the main visitor centre. Its a lovely track with a hedgerow on the one side and birch scrub / reed beds on the other. I heard a Tree Pipit here and had several Sedge Warblers and Whitethroats before the track opened up onto pasture land with views over to the far end of the flash and a small herd of grazing Highland Cattle.

Common Whitethroat, RSPB Fairburn Ings grazing highland cattle, fairburn ings

Then I got lucky. I was sat down under a tree having a bite to eat and a cup of coffee, looking at the cattle looking at me, and I heard a bit of a commotion, a Canada Goose making some agitated honking calls and then blow me a couple of Spoonbills took off from the edge of the water - they must have been there all the while I was munching away on my ham and cheese sarnies! I took a hurried picture and then another came flying down the water's edge heading towards the viewing area I'd previously waited - I do hope that chap was still there and managed to get his pictures. I certainly got mine.

spoonbills, rspb fairburn ings

Carrying on along the same path towards the main entrance to the reserve a distant white blob amongst several Grey Herons in the trees revealed itself to be another Spoonbill and surely a prospective nesting site.

Spoonbill besting site, rspb fairburn ings grey heron in flight, rspb fairburn ings

Having got the birds I came here for I meandered around the Discovery Trail close to the main entrance and visitor centre. There's a pond dipping platform, a wildlife garden and various other wildlife attractions aimed mainly at families and children. Precious few wild flowers in bloom around the place in this stop start Spring so far but a few stands of White Dead Nettle and Germander Speedwell (both new flowers of the year for me) added a dash of colour to the proceedings.

discovery trail, rspb fairburn ings

Germander Speedwell, RSPB fairburn Ings White Dead Nettle, RSPB Faurburn Ings

From here I headed up onto the Roy Taylor Trail. Previously penned the Coal Tips Trail this elevated path / cycle track follows the contours of the spoil tips and provides some wonderful panoramic views of the whole reserve and nearby River Aire. A well known and popular local conservationist, Roy Taylor was instrumental in transforming these former spoil heaps from barren hills into wildlife havens for Fairburn bird specialities including Green Woodpeckers, Bitterns and Cuckoos. Roy sadly passed away in 2018.

Roy Taylor Trail, RSPB Fairburn Ings River Aire from the Roy Taylor Trail, RSPB Fairburn Ings

No Cuckoos but I heard 2 'yaffling' Green Woodpeckers and at least one 'booming' Bittern, one of which I was connvinced was going to come into my vision, so close was that odd 'breathy' call. It didn't, but the wait was worth it as I took a breather myself and surveyed the surrounding vistas of the reserve. Frome here I headed back down to the river, passing the nicely maturing Birch wood / scrub at the base of the spoil heaps where the Green Woodpeckers were calling and the old dissused railway bridge at the end of Arrow Lane, before looping back via Ledston Ings and back to the car park at Lin Dike.

Bittern territory, reed fringed lagoon on the roy taylor trail, rspb fairburn ings Spoonbill Flash and other lagoons from the Roy Taylor Trail, RSPB Fairburn Ings

Birch woodland, rspb fairburn ings Railway viaduct, rspb fairburn ings

And I wasn't finished there either. Over the years I've learn't that sometimes, if the the feeling is right and circumstances allow, it pays to give a place just a few minutes more. This was one such occasion and I just felt that a walk back up Arrow Lane to the viewing area over Spoonbill Flash might just pay off, and this time my hunch paid dividends. A bit foot sore, I approached said viewing area, nobody else about, and there right in front of me was a single Spoonbill feeding away on the lagoon. A great result, easily my best UK Spoonbill pics to date and a fitting finale to round off this post on Fairburn Ings.

Spoonbill, RSPB Fairburn Ings