Trip reports

Fairburn Ings November 15th 2009

Mark Stokeld

Sunday, 15 November 2009

Close to the visitor centre two feeding stations attracted large numbers of well fed tree sparrows, along with disturbingly large numbers of equally well fed rats, plus greenfinches, goldfinches, chaffinches and bullfinches, and tits including willow tits.

Our two photographers stayed to make the most of this opportunity for close views and we went in search of the Kingfishers which we were told were also on show. We didn't have long to wait at the Kingfisher viewpoint before the always exciting streak of blue came and went along the narrow waterway. Later on we returned to the viewpoint and had plenty of time to admire a female perched close to the screen.

A good flock of redpolls was busy feeding in the tops of the birch trees as we walked to the Pickup hide, where we admired the teal, which looked stunning in the bright sunshine, and discussed the sandpiper which we later realised was a green sandpiper.

Further down the road we walked to the Lyn Dike hide, from where we had lots more teal, wigeon, goldeneye, shoveller, shelduck, pochard, gadwall, lapwings, curlew, a little egret, great crested grebe and several buzzards. In this peaceful spot with wide open views we ate our lunch and listened to the mallard and teal busily feeding in the shallow puddles.

Another kingfisher flashed by and a stonechat posed as we left the hide.

Kestrel, sparrowhawk, greater spotted woodpecker and a redwing were included in our total of 40 species. A lovely day.

Lesley Curwen