A female Wheatear was in the newly cultivated field near Church Hill at 10:30am, but had gone a few hours later. Just five Fieldfare found in the area this morning, in fields near Kersall.

A Woodcock was "roding" over Lound Wood, during the evening. This is presumably the returning bird of last year, which arrived back again on March 31st.

An indication as to the broad-scale of this arrival and how it has probably affected most of Nottinghamshire and the Midlands, is that Wheatears were at three different sites. These included a female in the bare, roadside field near Church Hill, a male in a similar field between Eakring Meadows and Hare Hill Wood and a male and female in the horse paddocks (created in 2003) at the edge of Eakring village.

Representing only the third Spring record here, the male Redstart was also at the latter site, frequenting the perimeter wire fencing. Interestingly, all three records have involved males.

The Linnet flock at Eakring Field Farm held in excess of 90 birds and a Snipe was still at Penny Pasture Common. There was also some overhead visible migration (always an indication of potentially good birds on the ground) with small groups of hirundines passing through. These totals included 19 Sand Martin and 12 Swallow all heading north and north-west. 25 Meadow Pipit headed north-west and a Jay flew north into Lound Wood.

Weather induced arrivals Today's arrivals have certainly been induced by the recent southerly winds. The wind was from a south-easterly direction and conditions should be favourable for a similar range of birds to be in the area again tomorrow morning. It is likely that the same sites mentioned above, are those that will feature regularly over the course of the Spring.

In the horse paddocks on the edge of Eakring village this afternoon, three male Wheatears and a single Fieldfare.

A late evening visit produced the Woodcock over Lound Wood, Grasshopper Warbler (very briefly) and the first Sedge Warbler of the year at Eakring Flash. In a Spring which has so far produced a varied set of arrival dates, another new earliest date was produced when a Swift flew high north over Red Hill. Of the migrants recorded to date, five have produced new earliest and three have produced new latest dates.

Visible migration throughout the morning was restricted (quite typically) to a trickle of 20 Swallow, 13 House Martin and five Sand Martin (all mostly north-west) Three Yellow Wagtail and small numbers of Meadow Pipits were also noted heading over. Hirundines were still moving through at dusk and 25 Sand Martins, included a flock of 24 heading north at 20:30h, when nearly dark.

The Cuckoo was again at Eakring Flash early morning, with three Grasshopper Warblers there (including two singing males) A male Wheatear was in the bare roadside field near Church Hill and a Hobby flew north-west over Tug Bridge Farm. Yellow Wagtails today, included four over and one around Eakring Meadows.

At least one Hobby was in the Eakring Flash area this morning, where there was some limited northerly hirundine movements. Swifts are arriving, with nine going north. Both male Grasshopper Warblers were singing occasionally in poor weather and migrant warblers at Eakring Flash were two Blackcaps and only the second Sedge Warbler of the Spring. Two Fieldfare flew north over there mid-morning.

The first Whinchat of the Spring was a male at Penny Pasture Common. The recent introduction of cattle to graze the site, has unfortunately led to the death of at least one Lapwing chick, which was found trampled to death today.