Bird news for July 2005

July 3rd

Very quiet in the area this morning, but there was still at least one Reed Warbler in full song at Eakring Flash today. Swifts were also moving south-west over the area, with several small groups noticed going over. A Common Buzzard was over Lound Wood early afternoon.

At Eakring Flash late morning, two Reed Warbler singing from the Bulrushes and Willows at the southern-end, with a male Grasshopper Warbler in full song and often showing well, favouring the small Hawthorns in the rough vegetation near the public footpath running alongside the old hedge.

A single Curlew flew west at 11:55h and the first Common Gulls (three) of the Autumn flew west with 23 Black-headed Gulls. Other parties of Black-headed Gulls were noted moving over Mapperley, Nottingham and near Calverton, suggesting that there has been some dispersal today.

A pair of Barn Owls were found nesting in the area this evening and showing exceptionally well.

July 9th

An evening visit to the area produced a Little Ringed Plover south-east over Eakring Flash at 19:45h, with two Reed Warbler and the Grasshopper Warbler still present. Three Ruddy Ducks included another female with the resident pair. The Barn Owl pair were again feeding young in the nest.

July 10th

The male Grasshopper Warbler was singing and showing well from it's favourite Hawthorn bush at the southern-end of Eakring Flash this evening, with still both male Reed Warbler present. A single Turtle Dove flew south.

July 12th

Quiet in the area during two visits mid-afternoon and late evening. A pair of Reed Warbler were feeding young, whilst a male was in full song for much of the afternoon at the southern-end of Eakring Flash. A Sand Martin and 11 Swallows flew south-east.

July 14th

Quiet again this morning, but three male Reed Warbler singing, with a possible two pairs now feeding young at Eakring Flash, with a Kingfisher there. A single Turtle Dove flew south-west, whilst singing males included birds at Eakring Flash and Eakring village.

A late evening visit produced the male Grasshopper Warbler singing occasionally at dusk and 131 Swift through south-west.

July 18th

Single Common Buzzard was over Lound Wood this afternoon, with little else around the Eakring Flash area, apart from a Turtle Dove and five Sand Martin over the water. Some evidence of Swifts moving west, with 48 counted moving into the wind.

A second visit to the area this morning produced two additions to the year list, with an adult Spotted Flycatcher feeding two young along the old hedge at Eakring Flash. Whilst photographing these birds, two Crossbills flew low south-west at 12:55h, calling frequently.

Crossbills have now occurred here in four of the eight years recording and produced a total of five records. There have been reports of Crossbills from many sites over the past few weeks and this is the third report of flyover birds around mid-day.

An earlier visit produced very little, with only Turtle Dove at Eakring Flash and a Common Buzzard in the Eakring village and Red Hill area.

July 24th

Two Yellow-legged Gulls arrived with about 20 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a handful of Black-headed Gulls, dropping into fields near Eakring Flash mid-evening, whilst 28 Sand Martin fed over Eakring Flash in heavy rain.

July 25th

508 Swift moved through the area during the mid/late afternoon. Movement did not appear to be on a broad-front, but small numbers of House Martin also seemed to be moving through in conjunction. Four Sand Martin were also at Eakring Flash, with two pairs of Reed Warbler still feeding young there.

July 28th

Highlight of a very wet morning, was the area's third record of Ruff, when one flew north-east over Eakring Flash. Other birds included still two male Reed Warblers present and singing occasionally despite the (at times) heavy rain, 14 Tree Sparrows and a single Yellow Wagtail.

The morning was largely dominated by a significant Sand Martin passage, which later continued during an evening visit, when birds were purposefully heading north-west prior to the onset of torrential rain. The final count for the day, eventually totalled a record 103 birds. Swifts included one tight flock of 53 drifting north in the morning, with an additional 11 birds north-west during the evening. Smaller numbers of Swallows and House Martins were also passing through early morning.

July 30th

A generally foggy and misty start to the morning saw little of note, apart from two Spotted Flycatchers at Eakring Flash. Once conditions improved, a Curlew flew north-west over Eakring village at 09:00h, followed later by a Green Sandpiper briefly at Eakring Flash, before heading off south-west at 10:12h.

A large movement of Swifts took place today and the morning visit to the area initially produced a group of 35 Swifts moving south-west, immediately followed by 490 moving south-east ahead of the rain. All movement occurred after the cloud lifted. Durning the evening, it was again obvious that Swifts were moving, this time heading north-west into the wind. A total of 745 were counted, including three strung out groups of 100+ birds. The final count for the day was 1270.

Other migrants through included a single Turtle Dove, 11 Sand Martin and 13 House Martin north-west, whilst one singing male Reed Warbler was still present at the southern-end of the Eakring Flash.

Eakring Bird news
July 2005
Featuring news and sightings from Eakring