I visited the new RSPB reserve St Aidans today near Swillington in Yorkshire.  Today was the opening day and we decided to arrive early so we would not have to struggle parking.  Arriving at 9.20am there were just 4-5 cars parked and there appeared more staff and volunteers than visitors.  Although within the next minute 3 more cars arrived and within the next 10 minutes there appeared to be 12-13 cars in total.  The staff and volunteers were very welcoming and optimistic.  I did feel sorry for them and was worried the turn out would be quite low.  The visitor centre is quite small with a toilet, a coffee machine, sandwiches and some cookies.  The café has a view over a lake and a meadow which looked quite bleak and had 1-2 birds present on it.  Recent sightings included Garganey, Little Gull, Pectoral Sandpiper, Red Kite, Whinchat, Bittern and Black-necked Grebe. 

We set off on the Hillside Walk at first where a number of trees have been planted to create a small woodland.  In the scrub and hedgerows were Robin, Wren, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Whitethroat and Blackcap.  The sky was alive with the sound of Skylarks who must have nested in the Pastures to the right along with Meadow Pipits who were also busy parachuting in excitement.  It was a beautiful day and once upon the hill we got a lovely view of the reserve and were impressed.  Below us lay a patchwork of wetland, reedbed and pathways with a frenzy of Black-headed Gulls in the air.  The pasture was speckled yellow with buttercups and there were a number of Orange-tipped Butterflies. 

We took a slightly wrong turning heading towards the woodland and then just to remind us it was Spring we heard a once familiar call of the season.  It was a Cuckoo and it was calling from very close. I saw two Kestrels in flight coming very close but then I realised that one was in fact a Cuckoo!  I was shocked and excited as I had never seen one before and hoped to finally see one this summer.  My thoughts drifted to the other bird maybe that was also a Cuckoo?  I could understand why some could confuse them with Sparrowhawks and Kestrels.  I had waited years to see a Cuckoo and maybe I managed to see two, the second one would always be the one that got away.  From the woodland sang a Chiffchaff and present were a Great Tit and a Chaffinch. 

We followed back to where we came from and decided to do the Reedbed Ramble.  We left the peace of grassland and meadows with its symphony of Skylarks behind and into the world of the raucous cacophony of the Black-headed Gulls.  On the left was the Albert reedbed where Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler and Reed Buntings greeted us with their song.  The former two were the loudest yet only the latter was kind enough to give good views.  On the right were Fleakingley Reservoir and Astley Lake.  Common wetland birds such as Moorhen, Coot, Greylag goose, Canada Goose, Mallard, Grey Heron were present at various spots around the reserve.  Cormorants, Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Shoveler, Great Crested Grebes and Little Grebes were also present.  Flitting above were Swallows, Swifts, Sand Martins and some House Martins.  We stopped before Astley Lake and out of the vegetation flew a large bird over our heads.  It was the closest and only in flight view I ever had of a Bittern.  They appeared to be much stockier than Grey Herons.  Redshank, Avocet, Oystercatcher and Lapwing were some of the more common waders present. 

We then headed around the Victoria reedbed on one side and the Lemonroyd Lake on the other.  A Common Tern passed above our head.  Woodpigeons, Stock Doves, Collared Doves, Carrion Crows and Magpies were present around the various area the latter two often being driven of by the Black-headed Gulls.  A juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull was also present.  We stumbled upon a pair of Black-necked Grebes, a bird which looked out of place here due to its striking colours.  Back onto the grassland and we came across a Pied Wagtail, a Linnet flying over and a Willow Warbler singing from some scrub.  We were told that a drake Garganey was showing well from a pool behind the Bowers Lake but it had disappeared by the time we arrived.  It had moved to another part of the reserve.  There were 4 drakes seen around the reserve but none by me. 

After 4 hours we decided to call it a day and have a rest.  We had a coffee which was free today and then decided to move onto Fairburn Ings.  I was very impressed with the reserve and it is one of the few that can rival if not better Leighton Moss in the north.  It did look bleak and empty at first but then it was teaming with life in some areas.  It is a unique mixture off wetland, reedbeds, grassland and meadows with a recently planted woodland.  There are plenty of walking trails but no hides!  In fact one hide but I think that was closed off or the path to that was not that appealing to go too.   A complete lack of passerines here almost tits, finches and thrushes missing in numbers and variety of species.  The car park was almost full as well.  I would recommend visiting the reserve.  I may even go back in  early July to have a wander again.  Maybe the meadows will come to life by then?