| Eakring Bird news | ||
| March 2003 | ||
| Featuring news and sightings from Eakring | ||
March
1st
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| 15 Pochard were on Eakring Flash, along with six Gadwall and two Shelduck. The first returning Little Grebe was on a small pool near Red Hill and a Common Buzzard ranged widely from Lound Wood-Tug Bridge Farm. | |
March
3rd
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| The Water Rail was still present, showing for the first time in nearly a week. The Common Buzzard was again around Tug Bridge Farm. Some sign of return migration this morning, with small numbers of Starling and Fieldfare moving through. | |
March
4th
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| The Water Rail again showed well briefly this morning. | |
March
6th
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| Some small-scale Meadow Pipit movement this morning, with 13 moving north-west, whilst Eakring Meadows held a flock of at least 30. Similar (small) numbers of both Fieldfare and Redwing also moved through. The High Trees area is still holding 72 Redwing in nearby fields. On Eakring Flash, eight Gadwall, nine Pochard and two Shelduck, along with the resident Water Rail, which was calling this morning. One Jack Snipe was at Penny Pasture Common, with 11 Snipe. | |
March
8th
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| A pair of Goosander arrived at Eakring Flash mid-morning, otherwise the area remains extremely quiet. | |
March
11th
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| A female Stonechat was along the wire fence at Penny Pasture Common, Eakring Meadows this morning. Some Starlings were returning east with groups totalling 112. |
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March
12th
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| The first
Summer migrant appeared this morning, with a Chiffchaff
at Eakring Flash for half an hour before continuing
north. This represents the earliest record here, jointly
held with the same date in 2000. The windy conditions failed to stop good numbers of Starlings and Fieldfare moving, with a count of 330 Starling and 161 Fieldfare going north and north-east. Smaller numbers of other typical species helped to herald the start of Spring migration proper and the coming days when high pressure will dominate, look set to produce higher counts. Other birds today included a notable 11 Gadwall on Eakring Flash, with the long-staying Water Rail still present. A migrant Common Buzzard flew high east early morning and a Little Grebe returned to Eakring Flash. |
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March
13th
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| Small numbers of migrants passing through this morning, but numbers much lower than hoped for. The Water Rail again showed well early morning at Eakring Flash and a Common Buzzard was around the Eakring Meadows area. | |
March
14th
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| A Chiffchaff was new in at Hare Hill Wood this morning, with a Brambling among the nearby and much depleted Chaffinch flock. Also in the same area, the regular Common Buzzard again. At Eakring Flash, the Water Rail showed briefly. | |
March
15th
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| A White
Wagtail was in fields next to Eakring Flash,
till flying off north mid-morning. A Redshank
flew high north-east over Eakring Meadows with still
three Jack Snipe there. Still good
numbers of Snipe in the area, with nine at Eakring
Meadows and 31 at Eakring Flash. Large numbers of Meadow Pipits have built up recently and 120 birds are currently in the Eakring Field Farm/Penny Pasture Common area. |
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March
16th
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| The Water Rail still at Eakring Flash this morning with a Jack Snipe at Eakring Meadows. A new Chiffchaff was in full song in Hare Hill Wood. | |
March
18th
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| Four migrant Chiffchaffs arrived this morning, with singles at Eakring Flash and Tug Bridge Farm and two in the Hawthorns on Penny Pasture Common, Eakring Meadows. Around the area, the only Fieldfare found were 120+ at Kersall. Eakring Flash held a high count of 16 Gadwall this morning, with four Shelduck, seven Pochard and eight Tufted Duck there. | |
March
20th
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| Three Chiffchaff were new today, with males in the High Trees area and one at Oil Bore Holes. At Eakring Flash, the Water Rail is still present and 18 Gadwall. | |
March
21st
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| The area remains extremely quiet. Three new Chiffchaffs in this morning, including a brief bird at Eakring Flash, where the Water Rail remains along the eastern-side, but more fleetingly observed recently than previously. The pair of Mandarin were at Kersall, but well away from their usual haunt of The Beck. In the same area, still 170 Fieldfare and at least 12 Redwing. | |
March
23rd
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| A Barn Owl was in the area this evening, an excellent and personally very welcome record of this once former breeding species. Due to the possibility of a pair making a potential breeding attempt, it's location has to remain secret. Another bird was reported hunting a set-aside strip in the north of the area the same evening. This was near the location of several previous sightings in 2001. Earlier this morning, a White Wagtail was in fields at Eakring Field Farm. | |
March
24th
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The first Wheatear arrived
this morning, when a male flew into fields adjacent to
Eakring Flash. Just 10 minutes later a Common
Tern flew over and headed north-west at 8:10am.
This is not only the earliest arrival date here, but also
constitutes a new record for Nottinghamshire, beating the
previous earliest record of April 1st 1998, by some
considerable margin. Elsewhere in the area, 173 Fieldfare were opposite Eakring Field Farm, with another 28 at Eakring Meadows. Wildfowl on Eakring Flash consisted of 21 Gadwall, six Shelduck, six Pochard and six Tufted Duck, with 14 Teal representing the highest count for some time. |
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March
25th
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| A reliable report concerned a Red Kite, initially over Lound Wood, then coming down and quartering an area around Red Hill late morning for several minutes. | |
March
28th
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| More belated news on the Red Kite - seen daily and occasionally at close range sat on hay bales in the Red Hill area for several days from 23-25th at least. | |
March
29th
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| Some migration through the area this morning, with the highlight being 11 Waxwing which flew east over Eakring Meadows at 9:55am. This is the first record of Waxwing for over 40 years here. A single Corn Bunting flew north-west and there was a steady trickle of Meadow Pipits (52) in the same direction. | |
March
30th
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| A male Wheatear was in fields at Eakring Flash early morning and the long-staying Water Rail seen for the first time in several days. A Curlew flying north-east over Tug Bridge Farm was new for the year and still 168 Fieldfare remain there. 25 Fieldfare also flew north over Eakring Flash along with a steady trickle of Meadow Pipits. | |
March
31st
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| A Green Sandpiper flew north-west over Eakring Flash mid-morning. At Tug Bridge Farm, now 400 Fieldfare. |
