RSPB Fairburn Ings and North Cave Reserves 14th July 2021

When we go to RSPB Bempton Cliffs with the birding group, we usually spend the first day at RSPB Blacktoft Sands and then go to the North Cave Wetlands reserve, staying the evening at the Travelodge at South Cave. On our own, however, we decided to try something different so instead of Blacktoft Sands we went to RSPB Fairburn Ings before going on to the North Cave Wetlands reserve. That night, instead of the Travelodge we stayed at The Green Dragon in Welton.

We didn’t know anything about Fairburn Ings but it turned out to have a nice reception area with shops and toilets and some limited food and drink opportunities. There were lots of benches to sit at and it was a gloriously sunny day – perhaps too sunny. We asked about the best plan of action given that we only has two or three hours and we got some advice. What we didn’t really grasp was the extent of the site. Even the small part we did took all our allotted time.

It has to be said, firstly, that it was not the right time of year to go to any reserve but this last year and a half have been very unusual and we have had to just grab the odd day or two when we could. Having just had some work done on our house we were ready for a break so we were happy just o get away. The time of year meant that many birds were either moulting so not too visible or in eclipse so not always easy to identify, especially with so many young birds around to confuse matters further. Be that as it may, we still managed to get some good year ticks and not all of them obvious at this late stage of the year.

Willow Tit is a big draw here and something of a speciality so we had no problem seeing them – especially easily on the feeders that you come to on the first path from reception. This was a year tick and so, also on the feeders, was Reed Bunting! It is hard to credit that we have not seen a Reed Bunting until August!

We did a small circular trail near the reception before taking the green track which was a circular route. We did not see an awful lot but we did get Great Crested Grebe – again an amazing year tick! Sand Martin is usually the first hirundine we see each year but in this case it was the last.

There were a smattering of birds as we walked around as can be seen from the list below but we had the feeling that this reserve is probably best in spring when the bushes would be full of birds and the ducks would be easier to  distinguish. Autumn might also produce large numbers of birds but August was what we had available to us so we made the best of it. Two Spoonbills, also year ticks despite our many visits to the Wirral where there are several, half way round our walk made the effort worthwhile.

It was a blazing hot day with absolutely no cover so it was a bit sweaty and it was a long way around even the limited extent that we covered. You could easily spend all day there and not get to every part of the reserve. We perhaps saw 15-20% in three hours so that gives you an idea. There are other parking places at other parts of the reserve so I think in future we might try that. It is just too far for us to walk to cover the whole site. It was too far and too hot carry my scope which was a shame.

It was with quite an effort that we got back to reception and had an ice cream to cool down. It had been a very interesting visit, perhaps more suited to members of the birding group who like hiking, but probably better done at other times of the year. As a recce, however, it was very successful and definitely a possible alternative to Blacktoft Sands which seems like a tiny reserve in comparison.

We continued on to North Cave Wetlands whre it continued to be extremely hot. Unfortunately there wasn’t that much about; again this is a much better site earlier in the year.

From here we went to The Green Dragon in Welton where we were staying the night. A drink was the immediate necessity so we sat outside the pub which is in a sort of village square but it is incredibly busy with local commuters and thei fancy cars. The room was in an adjoining building which was good and the room was fine. We would stay there again over the Trvelodge but the food – it’s a MArston’s pub – wasn’t up to much. Due to Covid, the menu may have been much smaller and less freshly made that at other times. It’s hard to say.

Bird Sightings : Fairburn Ings RSPB 14th July 2021 2021

Species	No
Greylag Goose	20
Mute Swan	8
Gadwall	4
Mallard	5
Common Teal	6
Common Pochard	2
Tufted Duck	10
Little Grebe	4
Great Crested Grebe	2
Common Wood Pigeon	3
Common Swift	10
Common Moorhen	4
Common Coot	30
Northern Lapwing	20
Great Cormorant	4
Grey Heron	2
Little Egret	2
Eurasian Spoonbill	2
Common Buzzard	1
Willow Tit	3
Eurasian Blue Tit	2
Great Tit	2
Eurasian Reed Warbler	2
Sand Martin	8
Common Chiffchaff	1
Song Thrush	1
Eurasian Blackbird	1
European Stonechat	1
Common Chaffinch	1
Reed Bunting	2

 

Bird Sightings : North Cave Nature Reserve 14th July 2021 2021

Species	No
Greylag Goose	10
Mute Swan	6
Mallard	10
Tufted Duck	6
Little Grebe	1
Common Coot	10
Eurasian Oystercatcher	2
Northern Lapwing	10
Herring Gull	1
Common Tern	2
Little Egret	4
Carrion Crow	4
Common Chiffchaff	1