Bird news for April 2005

April 7th

Three Swallow noted this morning, all appearing to move south or south-east. The only newly arrived warblers today were Chiffchaffs along the Kneesall Road and in the Poplar Plantation at Leyfields. A Common Buzzard was at Leyfields and then again later at Tug Bridge Farm.

Visible migration:- The only visible migration today consisted of three Meadow Pipit and two Linnet north-west, with three Swallows south and south-east.

April 9th

The area's seventh Osprey was the highlight of the morning. The bird approached from the direction of Duke's Wood (south-east) and continued low north-west over the outskirts of Eakring village, during which time it was occasionally mobbed by corvids. Previous Spring Osprey records have been on April 28th 1998, April 22nd 1999 and April 16th 2000.

Other birds in the area this morning included three Common Buzzards around Hare Hill Wood, including the pale-phase individual which was in the Lound Wood/Eakring Flash area at the end of March. An arrival of warblers in the area included single Willow Warbler at Oil Bore Holes, seven Blackcap at scattered sites and two Chiffchaff. Eakring Flash again held a pair of Goosander, two Teal and a Little Grebe. 44 Golden Plover were in fields at Park Farm.

Visible migration:- Migration was limited today because of the strong westerly wind. Only five Fieldfare north-east, five Meadow Pipit, five Linnet and a single Goldfinch north-west were noted.

April 10th

Three visits to the area today, with a late evening visit resulting in a Short-eared Owl present from 20:05-20:15h. The bird was first seen in the pastures area south of Eakring Flash (per Roy Haynes) then shortly afterwards by myself, hunting fields between Eakring Flash and Lound Wood. It is possible that the bird was actively migrating north-west through the area.

Earlier, a less windy day allowed some passerine movement for about an hour after first light. Although numbers were still very small, 59 Meadow Pipit north-west was the highest count of the Spring. Seven Sand Martin also went north-west and a single Swallow flew north. As is so often the case, days on which there is such obvious movement, also produced the first Wheatear of the Spring, with a male in fields at Park Farm, adjacent to Penny Pasture Common.

Nearby, three Common Buzzards were over Hare Hill Wood late morning/early afternoon and there were still two Snipe at Eakring Meadows. 118 Golden Plover were also in the Park Farm area and 21 went west. New warblers today included a small arrival of Willow Warblers, with birds at Parkhill Plantation, Kneesall Road, Red Hill and the Poplar Pantation. A Chiffchaff was also at Parkhill Plantation. Interestingly, there were no new Blackcaps recorded today.

Six Pochard, two Shelduck and two Teal were at Eakring Flash, with a Fieldfare at Poplar Pantation.

Visible migration:- 21 Golden Plover, 59 Meadow Pipit, 15 Linnet, seven Sand Martin and two Goldfinch all went north-west, with a Swallow north. Gulls included 16 adult Lesser Black-backed Gull north-west and two Herring Gull north.

April 11th

Another good morning today. Although appearing generally quiet, and with little in the way of newly arrived warblers, some excellent birds continued the trend of recent days. Against a background of migration activity, which again saw similar numbers of Meadow Pipits (73) moving north-west, there were some excellent area records.

A male Redstart in the Hawthorns at Penny Pasture Common, represented another sought-after year list addition (currently standing at 93) and was the fifth Spring record. Nearby, the male Wheatear surprisingly remained from yesterday, despite the extremely favourable migratory conditions overnight. Highlight of the morning however, was another Osprey, which was watched distantly as it flew north over Eakring Flash and Lound Wood.

40 Golden Plover were again at Park Farm, with most birds now in Summer plumage. New warblers today, included four Blackcap and two Chiffchaff. Two Common Buzzards were over Hare Hill Wood whilst another was over Red Hill late morning and the first Yellow Wagtail of the year flew north over Red Hill.

Visible migration:- 73 Meadow Pipit, nine Linnet, two Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Pied Wagtail went north-west. Gulls again included eight adult Lesser Black-backed Gull and two Herring Gull north-west. A Sparrowhawk moving high north was probably a migrant bird, as was the Coal Tit briefly at Eakring Flash.

Much quieter this morning, with the windier conditions failing to stop another small Meadow Pipit movement of 88 north-west. Movement was different to that of the previous days, in that it was much less continuous, but there were larger groups of birds including one of 18.

The male Wheatear was still at Park Farm, but there was no sign of yesterday's Redstart at Penny Pasture Common.

Four Common Buzzards were over Hare Hill Wood and approximately 60 Golden Plover were at Park Farm. Two Shelduck and the pair of Teal were again at Eakring Flash, whilst only single Blackcap and Willow Warbler arrived in the area overnight.

Visible migration:- 88 Meadow Pipit, 14 Linnet, two Goldfinch and single Greenfinch went north-west.

April 14th

Two pairs of Teal at Eakring Flash and Eakring Meadows this morning, with three Little Grebe now at the former site. Poor weather conditions saw virtually no visible migration today, with only a handful of Meadow Pipits and a single Swallow through. Still at least 12 Snipe around Eakring Meadows.

Visible migration:- Nine Meadow Pipit north-west and a single Swallow west were the only migrants.

April 21st

Generally quiet, though numbers of common migrants had arrived overnight and this seemed to continue during the day. Some nine Blackcaps and five Willow Warblers were amongst the latest arrivals, with the first Whitethroat of the Spring found after mid-day on one of three visits to the area today. There was limited visible migration (mostly Linnet and Goldfinch) and two House Martins were over Eakring Flash mid-afternoon. Other birds through included single Yellow Wagtail west and Sand Martin east.

90 Golden Plover were still in the Bean fields at Park Farm, two Common Buzzards drifted high east over Eakring Flash and a Fieldfare was in the large paddocks on the edge of Eakring village. Eight Greylag Geese included six (unusually) on Eakring Flash and two Teal were at Eakring Meadows.

April 23rd

Fairly quiet this morning, though there were some migrants arriving and going through, included at least two migrant Common Buzzards. In fact it was a good day for Buzzards, with three over Hare Hill Wood mid-morning, being joined by two single birds that came in from the south-west, before drifting off north-east. Two were also over Lound Wood in the afternoon. There were probably up to seven birds in the area today.

Warblers are continuing to arrive, with the first Sedge Warbler singing occasionally at Eakring Flash. Other new birds included six Blackcap, three each of both Whitethroat and Willow Warbler and one Chiffchaff. There are still many vacant Blackcap territories in Hare Hill Wood and it seems that birds arriving earlier in the month soon moved on.

A Common Gull flew east over Eakring Flash, where two Teal remain. Pairs of Little Grebe were at Eakring Flash and Kersall Pond.

Visible migration:- Goldfinch and Linnet continue to move through in steady passage. Most movement today was again northerly-biased, with totals of 13 Swallow, 31 Linnet, 11 Goldfinch, two Greenfinch, seven Meadow Pipit, four House Martin and two Sand Martin. Three Yellow Wagtails included birds west, south-east and east. Six Black-headed Gulls went south-east and east, with a Common Gull also east. Two Lesser Black-backed Gull flew west.

April 24th

Extremely quiet this morning, with little visible migration and few new warblers arriving. Three Swift moved north (all singles) along with two Fieldfare. Two Common Buzzards were in the Eakring Flash area early morning.

Visible migration:- Ten Goldfinch, six Linnet, seven Meadow Pipit, three Swift and two Fieldfare were the only birds recorded.

April 25th

The 2005 year list reached 100 species today, with welcome records of two Little Ringed Plover moving north-west over Eakring Flash at 06:45h, followed half an hour later by two Whimbrel north-west at 07:15h. 23 Golden Plover were again in fields at Park Farm.

Visible migration was much better than yesterday, but disappointed after some promising early signs. Few hirundines were noted and only one Swift went north, but there were more Goldfinches and Linnets heading north-west. Four Yellow Wagtails went through along with a single Jay north. Few warblers arrived again this morning, but did include the first Lesser Whitethroat of the year.

Visible migration:- North-westerly migrants included 18 Goldfinch, 19 Linnet, three Meadow Pipit and two Greenfinch. Seven Swallow, eight House Martin, single Swift and Jay went north. Only Lesser Black-backed Gulls were noted this morning, with ten north-west. A single Collared Dove also flew north.

Another good day in the area, with the highlight being a rare record of Common Sandpiper. The bird was present all day at Eakring Flash, after having obviously arrived at some point during the night. It represents the sixth record for the area and the first ever in Spring. Conditions during the morning were promising - remaining dry and (at times) heavily overcast. There was some small amounts of visible migration once the cloud started to lift, mainly Swallow, Linnet and Meadow Pipit, but also single Turtle Dove north-west and a Common Tern north at 09:04h. A male Wheatear and White Wagtail were at Tug Bridge Farm.

Some warblers arrived this morning, including three Willow Warblers, single Chiffchaff, Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler. Many warblers have yet to arrive and the main arrivals of some is late this year.

April 27th

A very quiet morning that started well with a Whimbrel north-west at 06:20h, folowed within minutes by a Turtle Dove also north-west. New warblers included four Blackcaps, three Willow Warblers, three Chiffchaffs and two Whitethroats.

Visible migration:- Migrants today included three Linnet, seven Swallow, two Yellow Wagtail, single Sand Martin, Goldfinch and Meadow Pipit north-west.

April 28th

Extremely quiet again this morning. The only sighting of note was the first Cuckoo of the Spring which flew east and set a new latest-ever arrival date.

Visible migration:- Very little this morning, with only five Swallow, three Meadow Pipit and singles of Linnet, Goldfinch and Greenfinch north-west.

April 29th

A small selection of warblers arrived this morning, including Lesser Whitethroat and Garden Warbler at Eakring Meadows. Small numbers of Swallows moved north-west through the area for much of the morning. A Hobby went north over Eakring Flash late evening. Two Golden Plover remain in the Bean fields at Park Farm.

Visible migration:- North-westerly migrants included 15 Swallow, three Goldfinch, four House Martin, single Sand Martin and 12 Linnet.

A day which started promising with the arrival of three Greenland Wheatears at Eakring Flash. A male was on the farm track adjacent to the flash upon my arrival, and this was followed later by another male and a female grounded during heavy rain.

With a rare Spring Tree Pipit record and good numbers of hirundines arriving at Eakring Flash from the south-east, it was obvious that there has probably been a large-scale movement across the UK.

Once the rain eased off and the cloud began to lift, more birds began to move through during the late morning. Six Yellow Wagtail were noted and a single Cuckoo. Three Turtle Doves calling in Eakring village, were all new arrivals this morning.

Visible migration:- Migrants included 50 Swallow, ten Swift, six Yellow Wagtail, nine Linnet, single Meadow Pipit, Tree Pipit and Sand Martin all north and north-west, 23 House Martin and one Cuckoo flew north-east.

Note: Large numbers of Wheatears were also at Spurn, East Yorkshire - many of which were of the Greenland race.

Eakring Bird news
April 2005
Featuring news and sightings from Eakring