Editing Fairburn Ings RSPB reserve (section)

==Geography==
The reserve is in the Lower [[River Aire|Aire Valley]], south and west of [[Fairburn, North Yorkshire|Fairburn]], near [[Castleford]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=lnrIndex&query=REF_CODE%3D%271008888%27 |title=Map of Fairburn Ings|series=Local Nature Reserves|publisher=Natural England|access-date=23 July 2013}}</ref> It includes the whole of Fairburn & Newton Ings [[Site of Special Scientific Interest|SSSI]].<ref name="pdf">{{cite web|title=Fairburn and Newton Ings|url=http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1004115.pdf|website=Natural England|access-date=31 May 2016|page=1|format=PDF}}</ref> It is also a Statutory [[Bird Sanctuary]] (one of only 10 in England) with a focus mainly on wildfowl and [[wader]]s, although many other birds can be seen.

The word ''[[ings]]'' (singular ''ing'') is of Old Norse origin and means "damp or marshy land that floods", a reference to the area being flooded regularly by the [[River Aire]]. Lying alongside the River Aire, the {{convert|657|acre|adj=on}} nature reserve includes a large lake and a number of smaller lakes, ponds and dikes. The area has been the scene of industrial and mining operations for 150&nbsp;years,<ref name="Telegraph" /> and, although the valley floods naturally, the permanent waterbodies are the result of subsidence of former coal-mine workings, up to {{convert|600|m}} underground, providing habitats for [[wildfowl]] and many other birds.

The site is bordered by predominantly arable farmland to the north and east, and urban environments to the south and west. One third of the site has been developed from 26 million cubic metres<ref name="Telegraph">{{Cite news |url=http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/lifestyle/taleisuredaysout/10635394.Fairburn_Ings___A_nature_lover_s_paradise/ |title=Fairburn Ings - a nature lover's paradise |last=Mead |first=Helen |date=27 August 2013 |newspaper=[[Telegraph & Argus]] |access-date=31 May 2016}}</ref> of colliery spoil which have been landscaped to create a large complex of herb rich grassland, wetlands and woodland.

Habitats at Fairburn Ings include flood meadows, wet fenland, marsh and [[reed bed]], woodland and scrub. Listed in terms of the [[United Kingdom Biodiversity Action Plan]], the reserve contains: 
* UK BAP habitats:
**[[Mesotrophic lake#Mesotrophic|mesotrophic lakes]],
**reedbed, 
**lowland meadow. 
* BAP species of these habitats include: [[grey partridge]] (''Perdix perdix''), [[European turtle dove]] (''Streptopelia turtur''), [[Eurasian skylark]] (''Alauda arvense''), [[song thrush]] (''Turdus philatelist''), [[Eurasian tree sparrow]] (''Passer montanus''), [[linnet]] (''Carduelis cannabina''), [[Eurasian bullfinch]] (''Pyrrhula pyorrhoea''), [[reed bunting]] (''Emberiza schoeniclus''), [[corn bunting]] (''Milaria calandra''), [[European water vole|water vole]] (''Arvicola terrestris'' ) and [[pipistrelle bat]] (''Pipistrellus pippistrellus'').

Birds of conservation concern of these habitats include: the [[black-necked grebe]] (''Podiceps nigrocollis''), [[garganey]] (''Anas querquedula''), [[Common redshank]] (''Tringa totanus''), [[whooper swan]] (''Cygnus cygnus'') and [[European golden plover]] (''Pluvialis apricalia'').