RSPB Fairburn Ings and St Aidan's

RSPB Fairburn Ings and St Aidan's Protecting and restoring habitats, saving species and helping
end the nature and climate emergency. Photography is allowed and encouraged on the reserve.

Welcome to the only official RSPB FairburnIngs and St Aidan's page. The purpose of this page is for everyone to enjoy wildlife sightings, photos, news, events, and updates from your favourite nature reserves. We hugely encourage you to share sightings, photos, pose questions and have discussions about the sites. We all have a love of both Fairburn Ings Nature Reserve and St Aidan’s Nature

Park, so please assume positive intent in each other. Whether you are new to visiting, have been coming for years, or have never actually been but hope to one day, then all are welcome in this group. RSPB Fairburn Ings and RSPB St Aidan's are ecologically important landscapes located in the heart of West Yorkshire's Aire Valley. They are two of Yorkshire's most exciting and inspiring wildlife locations, less than half an hour from Leeds and provide essential habitat for a number of rare species. This official page is managed by some of our staff and volunteers. Please note, it will be checked daily during work hours of 9am-5pm but is not staffed throughout that whole period. If you have some specific feedback or a complaint to make, please contact us by phone on 01977 628191 during office opening hours (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm) or email [email protected]. You can find lots of information on our websites, www.rspb.org.uk/fairburnings or www.rspb.org.uk/staidans as well. We encourage polite, friendly discussion, but personal insults, abusive or threatening language will not be tolerated, so please be respectful of each other and of our staff and volunteers. Any comments that include swearing or are deemed offensive will be removed and if individuals continue to post these types of comment to the page, then we may block them. Whether you have specific kit or just your camera phone, the wildlife and landscape of the reserve provides beautiful photography opportunities throughout the seasons. Please follow these considerations:

- Stick to the designated areas for visitors and adhere to any signage.
- Be mindful of your dwell time at viewpoints and in hides to allow everyone an opportunity to view the wonderful wildlife here.
- When it comes to nature photography, please always remember the welfare of the subject is more important than the photograph, so follow the Nature Photographers' Code of Practice https://bit.ly/NaturePhotoCode. Cover photo: Ben Andrew

It’s Father’s Day this weekend! 🪿🐤🐤🐤Need a last minute purchase? We have plenty of gift ideas and cards for the nature l...
21/06/2026

It’s Father’s Day this weekend! 🪿🐤🐤🐤

Need a last minute purchase? We have plenty of gift ideas and cards for the nature loving father figure in your life in at our shop at Fairburn Ings – come and take a look!


📷 – Lucy Murkin

🚗 Could you help visitors start their day with a smile?We're looking for Car Park Volunteers to help visitors get their ...
20/06/2026

🚗 Could you help visitors start their day with a smile?

We're looking for Car Park Volunteers to help visitors get their day off to the best possible start at

On busy weekends and bank holidays, you'll help keep traffic flowing, guide visitors to available spaces, assist with parking payments, and direct people to the welcome area.

It's a great role for someone who enjoys meeting people, being part of a team, and helping ensure every visitor has a positive experience from the moment they arrive. 💚🐦

Apply here: https://shorturl.at/dmH2s

📷 - Penny Smith

📣 Little Owl recommends 📣Enjoying a crisp toasted teacake with butter at the .If you’d like to add jam, we have 4 flavo...
19/06/2026

📣 Little Owl recommends 📣

Enjoying a crisp toasted teacake with butter at the .
If you’d like to add jam, we have 4 flavours to choose from! 🍓🦉

📷 - Annabel Rayner

Looking for some family fun? Look no further! 🔭 Nature Quest Hire – Across both our sites�Let your young explorers becom...
18/06/2026

Looking for some family fun? Look no further!

🔭 Nature Quest Hire – Across both our sites�Let your young explorers become Storytellers, Animal Experts or Researchers as they complete wildlife missions and discover nature through play.

🐸 Pond Dipping – At �Get hands-on and uncover a magical underwater world, using nets, trays and ID guides to discover the creatures living beneath the surface.

👶 Toddle – Also at �Designed for bumps, babies and pre-schoolers, these relaxed sessions combine a gentle walk around the Discovery Trail with nursery rhymes and story time.

There's something for the whole family to enjoy at 💚

Find out more here:
https://events.rspb.org.uk/staidans
https://events.rspb.org.uk/fairburnings

📷 - Justin Coleman (rspb images)

New to walking? Looking for a friendly group to get you started in the outdoors?Join us at on Wednesday 24th June for ...
17/06/2026

New to walking? Looking for a friendly group to get you started in the outdoors?

Join us at on Wednesday 24th June for our monthly Wellbeing Wander. 🥾🌞

Take a gentle stroll accompanied by our volunteer rangers.

No more than a mile and lasts about an hour.

Please meet outside the for 11am 🦉

Everyone welcome, no booking necessary, this is a FREE event.

Well-behaved dogs on leads welcome🐕‍🦺

For more info https://events.rspb.org.uk/events/153991

📷JLee

🐦🌿 Get up close to one of most iconic birds this JulyOur Specialised Spoonbill Experiences at offer a unique opportu...
17/06/2026

🐦🌿 Get up close to one of most iconic birds this July

Our Specialised Spoonbill Experiences at offer a unique opportunity to watch these remarkable birds in their natural habitat while learning about their behaviour and the conservation efforts that have helped them thrive on the reserve.

Looking for something extra special? Our Bespoke Spoonbill Experience provides a private, tailored session for you and your guests, with dedicated guiding and more time to observe and appreciate these elegant wetland visitors.

Find out more: https://shorturl.at/yyuf5
Bespoke Experience: events.rspb.org.uk/events/153194 🐦✨

📷 - Ben Andrew

Weekly Sightings 📣What have you spotted in the Aire Valley this week? 👀Pop your observations into the sightings book at ...
14/06/2026

Weekly Sightings 📣

What have you spotted in the Aire Valley this week? 👀

Pop your observations into the sightings book at each site 📝 to help us track what’s out and about. Each week, we’ll reveal our top 10 most-spotted species 🪿

Missed the book? No problem! Tag us in your photos on Facebook using and 📸

It’s time for the little ones to leave the nest! June is the peak time of year for baby birds to start leaving the nest ...
14/06/2026

It’s time for the little ones to leave the nest! June is the peak time of year for baby birds to start leaving the nest and become more independent as they grow into adults.

These young birds, also known as fledglings, are cute, scruffy looking and a little bit clumsy as the begin to explore the world around them. It can be tempting to get close, but if you see a fledgling, it is best advised to keep your distance and leave them alone as its parents are usually watching nearby. 🐥🎓🫶



📷 – Nicola Shafer

We have a positive update for the Common Terns who call Aire Valley home! Following our collaboration with FCC Communiti...
13/06/2026

We have a positive update for the Common Terns who call Aire Valley home!

Following our collaboration with FCC Communities Foundation and Yorkshire Water, we have successfully installed three brand new floating pontoons on our reserves. These pontoons provide a vital habitat for the Amber-listed Common Terns that visit Fairburn Ings and St Aidan’s reserves during the summer months to breed and raise their young before returning south to Africa. During the winter, two of these pontoons will remain in place and the third will be used as a makeshift bridge to aid staff when accessing areas of the reedbed for maintenance.

We’ve already spotted multiple pairs of terns making themselves at home on the two pontoons located at St Aidan’s, so make sure to keep an eye out for them this summer!



📸 - Penny Smith

Volunteer at our ☕🌿 Join the team at and help create a warm, welcoming experience for visitors while supporting natu...
13/06/2026

Volunteer at our ☕🌿

Join the team at and help create a warm, welcoming experience for visitors while supporting nature: with all cafe profits going back into helping nature. 💚

You’ll serve refreshments, chat with visitors about wildlife and events, and help keep the cafe running smoothly. We are especially looking for volunteers available Friday and Sunday.

Apply now here: https://shorturl.at/9Dkt6

📷 Ben Andrew

Address

Fairburn Ings
Castleford
WF102BH

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 4pm
Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm
Sunday 10am - 4pm

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