Bird news for March 2005

March 3rd

A good site count of eight Goosander were at Eakring Flash this morning. The group consisted of four males, an immature male and three females. At Penny Pasture Common, two Jack Snipe were among 14 Common Snipe around the small pool there.

Other birds in the area this morning, included 18 Golden Plover in fields opposite Eakring Meadows at Eakring Field Farm. Scattered small groups of Fieldfare seemed to indicate a general increase in the number of birds in the area, with the largest flock being 91 in fields at Leyfields. A Coal Tit was moving through the pastures area towards Eakring Flash, the fourth such record of recent weeks.

March 5th

Six Goosander were among the wildfowl at Eakring Flash today, a selection that included two Shelduck, six Teal and a Pochard. Nearby a Common Buzzard was around Lound Wood/Red Hill.

A few more gulls than of late, included an unusual March count of 61 Black-headed Gull west and six Common Gull. Small numbers of the larger gulls moved through north-east. Other birds included single Goldcrest at Eakring Flash and 70+ Golden Plover in fields at Church Hill.

Visible migration:- Small numbers of migrants included single Song Thrush, two Chaffinch and two Greenfinch north

Seven Goosander were present at Eakring Flash this morning, with the two Shelduck again. Just one Jack Snipe was found today at Penny Pasture Common.

68 Golden Plover were again in the Church Hill area and good numbers of Fieldfare were in the Eakring village and Eakring Flash area, with well in excess of 400 birds getting around the fields there. In the set-aside field along the Kneesall Road, a good selection of passerines (mostly Chaffinches) included a minimum of five Tree Sparrow.

There was an increase in the number of gulls around/through the area, with 19 Common, 13 Lesser Black-backed and 12 Herring Gull being noted.

Visible migration:- Migrants today included single Goldfinch, Reed Bunting and Yellowhammer north, two Meadow Pipit north and north-west, three Chaffinch and two Greenfinch north.

March 11th

A pair of Goosander were at Eakring Flash early afternoon. Two groups of Fieldfare included 65 at Eakring Flash and 117 at Parkhill Plantation. The adult Peregrine was seen for the first time this month, today hunting Wood Pigeon in the Kneesall Road area.

March 14th

A male Merlin flew low, west over Red Hill at 16:45pm, before settling at the top of a dead tree. This is the third record of the year, the first ever in March and is thought to be a different bird to the male seen last month. Nearby, a Common Buzzard was over Lound Wood.

March 15th

A Common Buzzard was at Penny Pasture Common late morning, then flew off over Hare Hill Wood. Good numbers of Fieldfare and Starling in the area this morning, with 130 Fieldfare at Penny Pasture Common and another 187 at nearby Tug Bridge Farm, with at least 300 Starling at both sites.

No sign of any Chiffchaffs yet during a search of all usual habitats. New birds for the year seen today were Tufted Duck at Eakring Flash and a Grey Wagtail which flew west.

March 17th

A quiet morning but there were noticable signs of Spring migration. Eakring Flash held two each of Shelduck, Pochard and Teal, with another two Teal at Penny Pasture Common. The large group of Starling and Fieldfare were again in the cultivated fields at Park Farm.

Visible migration:- Despite breezy conditions migrants included 40 Meadow Pipits west and north-west, 21 Fieldfare south-east, nine Wood Pigeon north and north-west, five Pied Wagtail north-west, four Redwing south-east and west (1) single Goldfinch north, Tree Sparrow north-west, Greenfinch and Yellowhammer west.

March 20th

Again continuing rather quiet, but much more evidence of visible migration late morning, with a higher cloud base than yesterday. Five Tufted Duck were new at Eakring Flash, with a Shelduck there and two Common Buzzards over nearby Lound Wood.

Tree Sparrows were found in good numbers. Six were in the newly cultivated field near Church Hill, two were at Tug Bridge Farm and a minimum of 11, were in the set-aside field along the Kneesall Road adjacent to the old pump house. Fieldfares continue to increase in numbers, with approximately 236 at Tug Bridge Farm and five in the Red Hill area today. Migrant birds included several groups which totalled 142, flying west and north-west.

Visible migration:- Much increased numbers compared to yesterday (single Greenfinch north) featured 142 Fieldfare west and north-west, eight Redwing west, 14 Meadow Pipit north-west, nine Linnet north-west, four Chaffinch and a single Collared Dove north.

March 23rd

In excess of 500 Fieldfare at Tug Bridge Farm this afternoon. There were some small signs of passage late on, with a few Meadow Pipits moving north-west.

Visible migration:- Unusually, a small amount of visible migration late afternoon, with eight Meadow Pipit north-west and single Greenfinch and Yellowhammer north.

March 24th

Still continuing rather quiet around the area, the highlights this morning being a Curlew south-west and a party of five Brambling east over Eakring Flash. Newly arrived Chiffchaffs included singing males at Hare Hill Wood (two) Eakring Meadows, Oil Bore Holes and very briefly at Red Hill.

Still numbers of Fieldfare around Tug Bridge Farm (32) Eakring village (75) and Church Hill (289) with counting being made difficult by several flocks roaming the area. There were also some Fieldfare moving through against a background of limited northerly movement by several species, including flocks of 150 north-west and 44 north-east.

Two Common Buzzard and 20 Linnet were in the Lound Wood/Red Hill area on a return visit mid-afternoon, whilst at Eakring Flash there were ten Gadwall, four Pochard and two Shelduck.

Visible migration:- 194 Fieldfare north-west and east, 32 Redwing west and south-east, 28 Starling and five Brambling east, 15 Meadow Pipit north-west, 20 Wood Pigeon north, single Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Pied Wagtail and Yellowhammer all north.

March 26th

Birds today included eight Golden Plover west over Eakring Flash, whilst a Curlew was only heard calling as it went north-west. Two Teal and a pair of Shelduck were also at Eakring Flash, with six Pochard there in the afternoon. The only new Chiffchaff found today was a singing male at Lound Wood. A Common Buzzard flew low west over Eakring village and up to 150 Fieldfare roamed the area.

Visible migration:- Most of today's movement was distinctly northerly, included in the morning's totals were 43 Meadow Pipit north and north-west, 76 Fieldfare, 26 Linnet, seven Greenfinch, four Chaffinch, two Goldfinch and three Redwing north,with three Pied Wagtail north-west.

March 27th

A Swallow moving east over Eakring Meadows, finally broke the earliest arrival date by a day. This was originally set in 1998 and it has took seven years to beat. Grasshopper Warbler is now the only other migrant yet to beat a similar date. Other arriving migrants included four new Chiffchaffs in the area this morning, with birds at Eakring village, Red Hill, Eakring Meadows and along the Kneesall Road.

Visible migration:- Only limited movement this morning due to the poor conditions. 37 Redwing went north-east, 38 Fieldfare, 17 Meadow Pipit, two Greenfinch, two Tree Sparrow and four Linnet all flew north-west. Five Golden Plover went north-east and gulls today included three Black-headed Gull, four Lesser and two Great Black-backed Gull north-west.

Eakring Bird news
March 2005
Featuring news and sightings from Eakring