Exploring Swillington Ings/St. Aidans

After complaining that I had had no time whilst in Leeds to get out, explore and do some bird watching, I suddenly found myself with a free day last Thursday which I decided to use to explore Swillington Ings. Swillington has a long history and, like so many nature reserves, was a former coal mine. Once the mining had finished it was turned over to nature and the coal company that owned it went into liquidation. The land was then owned by Leeds City Council who have since leased in to the RSPB to develop for wildlife further. They erected a small wooden visitor centre, branded the area "St. Aidans" and restored the car park before the coal company returned to the picture and claimed ownership of the land. The site now finds itself in some sort of limbo where the RSPB continue to do bits of work on the reserve but are not allowed to open the visitor centre or car park. Luckily the area is a public right of way anyway and so access is in no way restricted but fingers crossed it isn't long before it is turned back over to the RSPB.

Swillington Ings

Anyway enough of the history lesson. I had briefly visited Swillington Ings before with my grandparents and had the shortest of walks around it before moving onto Fairburn Ings. However I've since been recommended it by many birders as well as keeping up to date with the regularly updated Swillington Ings bird group site which posts sightings almost daily. So I figured it was time to take a closer look.

I arrived about 11, parking on the road outside the entrance to the now closed off RSPB car park. A walk down into this car park turned up the first nice sighting of the day almost immediately. Underneath a giant piece of old mining machinery was an apple tree with Blackbirds feeding around it that were flushed up as I walked into the deserted car park. One of the flushed thrushes (bit of a tongue twister!) was a Fieldfare as it showed a slate grey rump as it flew away and settled in a nearby tree where I got good views through my scope. A cracking bird, unusually only the one on its one, and another tick off the winter list before I'd even gone past the car park.

Looking out from the elevated car park gives superb views over the entire reserve comprised of grassland/scrub, marsh, scrapes, lakes, reedbeds and a smidgin of woodland. After moving down to the first lake and picking up most of the common ducks and turned to look over the marshy grassland to be greeted with a flock of 9 curlews flying towards me before settling to feed in the sodden soil.
Already happy with my decision to get out and explore this site, it got better when I came across a Stonechat that briefly showed on top of some bullrushes meaning I got to tick off Stonechat as a lifer for me!

On the lookout for Red Breasted Merganser!

I then came to the main lake where 2 Red Breasted Mergansers had been spotted a couple of days before. After spending time scanning all the ducks on the lake, including a nice pair of Pintail and about 4 Goldeneye, I came to the conclusion that my luck had run out. On my way around the lake I came across a group of about 6 Goosander and spent an age deliberating whether one of the females had enough diffuse red on her neck and head to possibly be a Merganser. Had I not heard that there were Mergansers on the lake then I would never have questioned it but I found myself constantly going back to the bird to check. I had brought my Collins bird guide with me though and a check in that convinced me it was a female Goosander - a lesson that taking a field guide is always helpful!

After a couple of hours of my arrival at the reserve I had got to the tiny patch of trees at the far site where I picked up a Great Spotted Woodpecker and Kestrel before moving down to another lake with a couple of Little Egrets on it. A large flock of around 60 Greylag Geese also came onto the lake, causing an absolute racquet as they came over the tree line and descended onto the lake.

After sitting on a bench for lunch it was time to walk around the reed beds before I headed home. I had been reading that birders were regularly seeing and hearing Bearded Tits in the reeds (the first year they had been recorded at the site) as well as Bittern making regular appearances. Both would be lifers for me so thought nothing of having a little wander through the reeds to make my walk longer. I did pick up two Black Tailed Godwit and what I think were three Dunlin and two Redshank (only caught a glimpse as they took off) but alas... no Bittern or Bearded Tit.

All in all I had a fantastic day at the reserve and hope to definitely start visiting it regularly. I thoroughly recommend anyone to visit!

Total number of species for the day: 41 

What's this?! An actual wild bird picture on my blog?! A male Shoveler that was close enough to shore to be photographed on my phone.

Sunset over Swillington Ings