Lindyke Link RSPB
Pontefract
Site Details
Recorders: Rachel Tulloch Distance: 3250 Walk time: 1.5 hours
Shaped by a long history of coal mining, Fairburn Ings protects a mixture of habitats. Wetland areas created by subsidence include open water, wet grassland, reedbed and wet woodland. While other habitats, including dry grassland, deciduous woodland and lagoons, have been restored on the former coal spoil tips.
This is a grassalnd area under restoration over magnesian limestone . There are large areas of scrub.
From the west car park the route follows the north side riverbank of the river Aire
Sections
S1 is a mix of graasland and woodland with Speckled Wood most numerous along with Orange Tip. S2-3 grassalnds are favourite of Gatekeeper. S4 finds Dingy Skipper. Patterns are similar to S9 which has more Common Blue and good numbers of Small Skippers , Gatekeeper and Ringlet and most counts of these are higher in S10
Results 2022:
Its three years since teh last full year of data to enable an analysis. Certianly numbeers are well down and it is difficult to draw any parallels with the county trends. We can see however that as with most localities Holly Blue had a very good year as did Speckled wood that boomed through September. Although the Whites, Skippers and Vanessids had a bad everywhere it was more so here. On other sites Red admiral and Comma in particular had goood years are less bad here. Although Ringlet held up here Gatekeeper was well down while almost everywhere it boomed.
2021 results:
Insufficient data
Riverbank Trail
Recorders: Rachael Tullock Distance: 3000m Walk time: 1.5 hour
From south of Fairburn village the route follows theeast side of Main bay down to teh river aire and then follows teh riverbank Westwards back to the heath and teh visitor centre.
Sections:
S1 is quite good for grassalnd species but with floral interest for Smal Torstoiseshells
S2-S10 is somewhat treelined and favours Speckled Woods.
In S11 back on the heath good grassalnd with teh best section of the route particularly Meadow Brown and Small Skipper but also gatekeeper.
