| October
2nd |
| An adult
female Peregrine flew low over Eakring
Flash early morning. Good numbers of Song Thrush along
the old hedge, with a minimum of 13 birds noted. Song
Thrush counts have increased over the last few days - a
regular feature from late September onwards. Other species
(similarly more obvious at the moment include Dunnock and
Robin, both species being prone to local movements. A
single Blackcap and Chiffchaff were along the old hedge.
Migrants trickled through, with a count of 34 Pied
Wagtail being the most unusual. Other counts included
five Redpoll through south.
|
| |
| October
3rd |
| A Water
Rail was flushed from the western-side of
Eakring Flash and not seen again. It is possible that
this could be the immature bird seen once in September.
Small numbers of common migrants trickling through again,
including five Song Thrush west and two Blackcaps along
the old hedge. 30 Teal were at the southern-end of
Eakring Flash and 75 Golden Plover were in the area this
morning. |
| |
| October
9th |
| At
Eakring Flash, at least one Water Rail
was present this morning, calling from vegetation at the
southern end. Possibly a second bird was also present. 50
Teal were also in the area. The area continues to remain
very quiet generally. |
| |
| October
10th |
| A Jack
Snipe was flushed from along The Beck this
morning at Eakring Flash. This is the earliest Autumn
record to date. Three Redwing were also the first of the
Autumn, present at Red Hill in company with good numbers
of Song Thrush there. |
| |
| October
11th |
| Small
numbers but numerous species on the move this morning and
the first signs of an increase in the birding activity
with a Brambling moving north over Hare
Hill Wood, 38 Redwing (including one flock of 30 at
Eakring Meadows briefly, eight Siskin,. 10 Song Thrush,
and 41 Starling through. Two adult Yellow-legged
Gulls were at Tug Bridge Farm. Eakring Flash
held 69 Teal at the southern-end, three Common Gull over
there, were the first since July. Two Common Buzzards
were over Lound Wood early morning. |
| |
| October
13th |
| A fairly
productive morning, with highlights being the area's
latest ever Greenshank at first light,
with two Water Rail at Eakring Flash. The general area is
currently holding large numbers of both Blackbird and
Song Thrush. Migrants included seven Blackbird south with
Song Thrush producing 22 moving mostly south-east but
also north. Northerly birds included one group of eight
alone. 63 Pink-footed Geese flew
south-east at 10:35am. Visible migration A
wide range of species moving through this morning, but
still low numbers. There are though, the first signs of a
general increase in migration. Counts included four
Swallows, 34 Redwing, 235 Starling moving west, 45 Meadow
Pipit (mostly south) 12 Redpoll and five Grey Wagtail
south-east.
|
| |
| October
14th |
| Small
numbers of migrants continue to pass through, but also
some genuine Gull passage today as well, but again only
small counts. Late hirundines included three House Martin
and two Swallows east. The last of the breeding House
Martins left Eakring village a few days ago on the 11th.
The most unusual record today, came in the form of an
abarrant Lapwing. This bird seems to lack any green
pigmentation in its feathers. Good numbers of Golden
Plover also in the area, with mobile flocks providing a
count of 300+ |
| |
| October
15th |
| A
Fieldfare was at Eakring village till flying off east,
with another flying north with 42 Redwing. Further late
hirundines included four House Martin east. |
| |
| October
16th |
| Good late
numbers of Lesser Black-backed Gulls in the Eakring Flash
area this morning, with 175 there. Other Gulls included
seven Common, two Herring and one adult Yellow-legged
Gull. A Brambling moved south, with
other migrants including 136 Redwing through (mostly west
and north) and a group of five Blackbirds north. |
| |
| October
17th |
| An
excellent passage of birds this morning, with an area
record count of 1 158 Redwing achieved. It was also a
morning when the intricacies of migration were realised
and the Redwing movement formed part of this, with flocks
following a very narrow westerly path through the area.
Be at a point, either a few hundred yards south or north
and counts would have been very low. Other counts today
included 170 Fieldfare, 188 Starling, 24 Skylark, 36
Chaffinch, 73 Greenfinch, small numbers of both Reed
Bunting, Siskin and Redpoll. Most species going west,
probably indicating a good east coast arrival of many
this morning. Highlights today were a Grey Plover
moving west with Golden Plover, a Jack
Snipe at Eakring Meadows and 84 Pink-footed
Geese through east in two skiens. Three
Swallows (all singles) flew west and south-east.
|
| |
| October
18th |
| Another
morning of Redwing passage, again showing the narrow
migratory corridor of yesterday. Birds were again
recorded moving west through an area between Lound Wood
and Little Leyfields. No groups were noted moving over
Eakring Flash. This morning's counts included a record 2
048 Redwing, 344 Fieldfare, 18 Song Thrush (mostly in
small groups, but many presumed missed among Redwing
flocks) 52 Chaffinch and two single Brambling.
All bar some finch passage was westerly. The area was
otherwise very quiet this morning. |
| |
| October
19th |
| Both
Redwing and Fieldfare moving through again this morning,
though Redwings were in much smaller numbers than
yesterday. Counts included 292 Redwing, 313 Fieldfare, 16
Siskin, 47 Chaffinch, 426 Starling and small numbers of
Linnet, Goldfinch and Redpoll. A Brambling
went south, but all other movement was westerly. The single Jack
Snipe remains around the pool at Penny Pasture
Common, a Common Buzzard was over Lound Wood on and off
all morning and some south-westerly Gull movements
involved 15 Herring, 6 Great Black-backed and 138 Lesser
Black-backed Gulls.
|
| |
| October
20th |
| Two Nuthatch
were in Lound Wood this morning, potentially having moved
into territory. The third record for the area and quickly
following on from the second record of September. Limited
amounts of migration this morning, with Starlings
producing the highest count of any species by far, when
374 went west early morning. Goldcrests were at all sites
visited and good numbers were in Lound Wood. |
| |
| October
21st |
| Still
definitely two Water Rail present at
Eakring Flash, with both birds calling this morning from
vegetated sections along the eastern side of the Flash. |
| |
| October
22nd |
| An
arrival of wildfowl this morning with 12 Pochard on
Eakring Flash and around mid-morning, a flock of 11 Wigeon
flew over the site before heading off south. Surprisingly
there was limited amounts of migration among which were
totals of 49 Redwing south, 64 Fieldfare south and 20
Redpoll (including one flock of 17 south) A noticeable
easterly and south-easterly Skylark passage involved 59
birds. Common Buzzards were at Eakring Meadows and Lound
Wood. |
| |
| October
26th |
| Apart
from a Stonechat at Eakring Meadows (Robin
Brace) the area continues to remain very quiet with
the recent strong north-westerly winds. The only sighting
of note today, was a record Stock Dove count from the
Eakring Field Farm and Tug Bridge Farm areas, where 279
birds fed in the bare fields. |
