The creation of several large paddocks on the outskirts of Eakring village in 2003, attracted good numbers of Wheatear during a period of concentrated passage the following Spring, where the wire fence and hedgerow running around it's boundary, did attract a male on one occasion. All of the Spring birds have been found favouring hedgerow habitats in quite open, agricultural situations.

With the possible exception of Bennerley Marsh, a total of 35 Autumn records probably now make this the most productive area in the county for migrant Redstarts. Prior to 1998, there are no available records from the area.

Spring limits: Dates provided by the area's nine Spring migrants are April 10-May 1st.

Autumn limits: Redstarts have produced the greatest inclusive dates, ranging from July 9th-October 11th. The single July date is very early.

Autumn birds have a greater tendency to remain in the area longer (often several days) than the rest of the family's representatives. Quite why is unknown. One theory is that many of the records here, involve genuine long-distance (Scandinavian) migrants? This is certainly an interesting view and is supported by their occurrences here during or after large-scale arrivals on the UK's East-coast. The question then arises as to why Whinchats (a species with a similar ratio of Eakring records/East-coast arrivals) rarely linger? Evidence gathered from the ageing of migrant Whinchats here, show that there is a considerable turn-over of birds, even on a daily basis.

Spring limits: April 22-27th and May 11-14th. Both arrival periods are quite restricted.

Autumn limits: July 21-October 1st, with a general peak coming between August 28-September 14th.

They also show a preference for rank vegetation. Consequently Eakring Flash and Penny Pasture Common have provided the bulk of the records, but birds have also been found perched on roadside hedgerows within pure farmland habitat in the Red Hill area and around the Tug Bridge Farm/Church Hill areas.

Autumn Stonechat records had been concentrated to within a ten-day period in October until the occurence of the area's earliest ever arrival on September 20th 2002.

Spring limits: February 21-March 29th with a peak date occurring on March 11-12th (five records) On April 23rd 2008, a Stonechat showing many characteristics of the race rubicola was present at Eakring Flash.

Winter records: There is just one record of a bird on December 30th 2000

Recent years have seen an up-turn in Autumn records and it was only recently that regular Stonechat sites became identified. Spring migrants are more generally attracted to Eakring Flash, a site which has the habitat to (potentially) hold over-wintering birds, whilst many Autumn records have come from Penny Pasture Common at Eakring Meadows.

Spring limits: March 22nd-May 20th. Wheatears tend to show two main passage/arrival periods from March 22-30th and April 22-29th. Birds of the Greenland race have produced arrival dates from April 26-May 20th (12 records)

Autumn limits: August 13-October 13th. Birds belonging to the Greenland race have provided inclusive dates of September 19-October 17th.

Nottinghamshire records of this larger sub-species are surprisingly rare. This is almost certainly due to them either being overlooked, or observer inexperience in identification of this race. There have been 14 records to date, with passage birds generally being recorded later during both migration periods.

Note: All records listed as Eakring Meadows, refer to Penny Pasture Common. The occurrence tables used on this page are updated versions of those currently available on the Species migration pages.