Tuesday 20th June 2017

I drove into the car park at the RSPB reserve at Fairburn at 9.00am. It was a grey and cloudy morning, very humid 19C with just a light westerly breeze. Yesterday was the warmest day of the year so far with temperatures reaching 31C in the Selby area. After popping into the Visitors Centre for a coffee I made my way down to the Pick up hide. 

Two Engineers were busy working on the wires on the pylons in the distance, I recon they will have been grateful that it wasn’t too windy.

Moorhen with their juveniles were busy patrolling the fringes of the lake, occasionally heading into the reeds for a feed. Mallard and Tufted Duck were enjoying this humid weather along with the Black Headed Gulls who spend the morning harassing the young Jackdaws. Several Wigeon flew onto the lake during the morning for a rest for about thirty minutes before heading off to pastures new. Nice to see several Lapwing too.

Over on the feeders, Tree Sparrow and Great Tit were regularly feeding this morning, along with male and female Chaffinch, the bright orange breasts of the male birds looked beautiful in the morning light. Wood Pigeon were all over the place today, on the floor under the feeders, on the Sand martin wall and patrolling along the water’s edge in front of the hide. Robins were regular visitors this morning, I had put some mealworms out when I arrived and they seem to be quite partial to them, along with the Squirrels and Pigeons!

Male and female Pheasants were hovering and scavenging under the hedge bottoms, even a Magpie had a session under the feeders. It was nice to see the Bank Voles back at the hide this morning, they were regular visitors last year and early this until they got flooded out with the winters rain, they too were quite partial to Meal Worms.

A pair of Rabbits were busily feeding on top of the Sand Martin wall and along the waterfront in front of the hide.

A very pleasant morning.