| May
1st |
| A good day to
open the month, with several scarce species in the area
again today. Highlight was the Short-eared Owl
at 07:15h which was circling over Red Hill, gained height
and appeared to move off east above the low cloud base
and was lost from view. The conditions also brought a Redshank
briefly at Eakring Flash, before flying off south-east
and later a Whimbrel flew high
north-west at 08:42h. A very brief Whinchat
was found at Penny Pasture Common, Eakring Meadows. Other
migrants this morning included six Yellow Wagtail, Turtle
Dove north-east, eight Sand Martin and five Swift. The
only warblers to arrive today were a Sedge Warbler at
Penny Pasture Common and the first female Whitethroat was
noted at Eakring Flash.
A Common Buzzard was at
Lound Wood all morning.
Visible
migration:-
North-westerly
migrants today included eight Sand Martin, five Swift,
six Yellow Wagtail and a single Turtle Dove, whilst 16
Swallow, three Goldfinch, four Meadow Pipit and nine
Linnet went north.
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| May
2nd |
| A Whimbrel
flew unseen and high north-west over Eakring Meadows this
morning. In the same area were single Turtle Dove and
Lesser Whitethroat (per Robin Brace) |
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| May
3rd |
| A new species
for the area during an afternoon visit today, with a male
Montagu's Harrier over Eakring Flash at
15:55h. The bird came from the north (unseen until
directly overhead) and all the time was gaining height,
circling and slowly drifting off south. When at a
considerable height it then veered off to the south-west
and was lost from view. The bird was probably a male, but
sexing was difficult due to the angle of sunlight. Most
of the identification was based upon shape - appearing
longer and more narrow-winged than Hen Harrier, with a
relatively bouyant flight action. This morning had been fairly quiet, but of a
handful of warblers that did arrive overnight included a
male Grasshopper Warbler, heard
"reeling" intermittantly from a ditch near
Eakring Flash. Other migrants to arrive included two
Lesser Whitethroat, two Whitethroat, single Garden
Warbler and a Cuckoo at Red Hill.
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| May
4th |
| Two hours of
virtually nothing, suddenly produced a group of nine Arctic
Terns moving low and north over Eakring Flash at
08:20h, the first Arctic Terns here for four years. Visible migration:-
North-westerly migrants today
included 12 Swift, eight Swallow, six Goldfinch, eight
Linnet, two Greenfinch and a single Yellow Wagtail.
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| May
5th |
| Good numbers
of Whitethroats finally arrived in the area this morning,
with singing males at many roadside sites. Several
Blackcap and two Lesser Whitethroats were also among
species to arrive. Small numbers of hirundines and Swifts
were going north-west in the quite windy conditions. |
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| May
6th |
| Three new
Whitethroats arrived this morning, but the fairly brisk
north-westerly winds ensured that a mid-morning visit was
quiet, although a Garden Warbler was along the old hedge.
There was some small Swift movement again, a trend that
continued throughout the morning. |
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| May
7th |
| A real
surprise this morning, were the three Arctic
Terns which flew north over Eakring Flash at
07:48h, with a group of seven Black-headed Gulls. The
male Garden Warbler was again singing along the old
hedge, a Cuckoo called once in the pastures area and four
Sand Martin were over Eakring Flash. A male Ruddy Duck
was new for the year and there were also three Teal
present briefly. (per T Pendleton and Robin Brace) |
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| May
8th |
| Very quiet
this morning, but a Cuckoo was present around Eakring
Flash during the evening, with two Herring Gull
south-west over there. |
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| May
10th |
| A Common
Buzzard flew very high and north over Eakring Flash early
afternoon. Hirundines and Swifts continue to move through
the area, seemingly in small numbers but throughout the
day. Now three Ruddy Duck at Eakring Flash, following the
arrival of another male and a female. Visible migration:-
Northerly migrants today were, 18
Swift, six Swallow, single Sand Martin and 11 House
Martin.
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| May
11th |
| Evidence of a
northerly Common Buzzard passage through the area during
the mid-late morning period, with three single birds
moving high north and two going south-east. (Common
Buzzards were also noted going north through another
Notts site today) Swifts and hirundines were again
passing through and a female Wheatear
was around the manure heaps at Church Hill. Visible migration:-
Birds moving north-west today
included, 19 Swift, 12 Swallow and five House Martin.
Three Yellow Wagtail flew north and north-east whilst a
Greenfinch went north-west.
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| May
12th |
| A male Quail
was in the area today, heard calling intermittantly
between 09:45 and 09:55h this morning. The bird was in
cereal fields just north of Eakring Flash and situated
close to the public footpath that runs directly north
between Eakring Flash and Lound Wood. This is the first
record since a brief calling male near Lound Wood in June
2002 and it's arrival has coincided once again, with an
area of high pressure and easterly-biased winds. These
same weather conditions brought record numbers on several
occasions in 2001. More
migrant Common Buzzards were again noted today, with
three birds heading high north-east. A total of eight
migrant birds have now passed through here within the
last three days. A single Whimbrel flew
north over Eakring Flash at 09:45h and there was a small
arrival of warblers in the area today.
Visible
migration:-
North
and north-easterly migrants included 16 Swift, single
Swallow, four House Martin, single Sand Martin and two
Linnet.
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| May
13th |
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| Two male Quail
in the Eakring Flash area this morning, with yesterday's
bird heard to call briefly at 06:17h and then again at
07:50h. Another was then located, calling once at 07:20h
from the southern-end of Eakring Flash. There was no sign
of these birds during the evening, but I did leave the
area before previous birds have normally started calling
at around 21:15h. The
regular (unpaired) male Common Buzzard was again around
Lound Wood and a Hobby flew north-east
during the early afternoon. At least 65 Swallows were
over Eakring Flash late evening, most of which are
presumed migrants, as resident birds only total around
20, including those from nearby farms and other likely
sources.
Visible
migration:-
Migrants
included 20 Swift, ten Swallow, 11 House Martin, single
Yellow Wagtail, two Goldfinch and three Linnet all mostly
north.
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| May
14th |
| Quail
were again calling only very briefly in the Eakring Flash
area mid-afternoon. A late evening visit also saw little
calling from each birds and there is the possibility that
there are indeed three males present. They are best
listened for from the bridge at the northern-end of
Eakring Flash. Other
sightings today, included two Common Buzzards north-east
and a new Lesser Whitethroat was at Penny Pasture Common
(per Robin Brace)
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| May
15th |
| A quiet day,
but a male Reed Warbler along the
western-side of Eakring Flash, was only the second Spring
record here. Several Buzzard sightings during the
morning, probably involved at least two more migrant
birds, bringing the recent total to 12 birds. At least one male Quail
was again present at the northern-end of Eakring Flash
late evening. It called once at 21:18h, then more
frequently from 21:35-21:40h. Two birds are still likely
to be in the area.
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| May
17th |
| The male Reed
Warbler was again singing from water-side
vegetation during the mid/late afternoon at Eakring
Flash. The bird remained concealed and was not seen
despite over two hours watching. Indeed, the only
sighting I have had to date, is of a very brief flight
view on May 15th. Visible
migration:-
Hirundines
continue to move north-west during the late
afternoon/early evening, with 35 House Martin, five Sand
Martin and 13 Swallow all passing through Eakring Flash,
along with 36 Swift.
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| May
18th |
| A late
evening visit (21:15-21:45h) proved fruitless in terms of
any calling Quail, but did provide views of an Owl
hunting the Eakring Flash area. Because of the poor light
conditions, conclusive identification was impossible. The
general feeling by the four observers present however,
were that Long-eared Owl was most likely
candidate (most especially) based on time of year, but
also on the apparent lack of any white trailing-edge to
the wings from the views that were obtained. The area's
two previous Long-eared Owl records occurred back in
mid-July 2001 and mid-June 2002. The male Reed Warbler was
again heard to sing briefly at dusk, in the Bulrushes
along the western-side of Eakring Flash.
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| May
19th |
| The male Reed
Warbler was still present this morning, singing
occasionally along the old hedge at Eakring Flash. |
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| May
26th |
| Very quiet in
the area today. The Reed Warbler was
again singing from territory at Eakring Flash. |
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| May
27th |
| Three Swallow
went north late morning, an indication that migrants
still continue to move until the end of May. Another
indicator, was a new Sedge Warbler which arrived
overnight and was singing in territory adjacent to the
male Reed Warbler. A Common Buzzard was
in the Lound Wood area. A Grey Wagtail was unusual (for
the time of year) at Eakring Flash and four Black-headed
Gull flew south-east. |
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| May
29th |
| The Long-eared
Owl was finally seen again this evening, some 11
days after the initial sighting at Eakring Flash. At
21:05h, the bird was quartering meadowland at Red Hill in
the late evening sunshine and showed very well. Back at
Eakring Flash, the Reed Warbler was
still singing in it's favoured spot, whilst a possible
second bird was at the southern-end of the flash. |
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| May
30th |
| The Long-eared
Owl was again in the Red Hill area late evening
- tonight flying over the road and from the direction of
Eakring Flash at 21:25h. A count of approximately 230
Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a single Herring Gull, flew
north-east to roost over there. |
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| May
31st |
| Confirmation
this afternoon that there are indeed now two male Reed
Warblers at Eakring Flash. The original male
which arrived on May 15th is seemingly paired with a
newly arrived female, whilst the male at the southern-end
of the flash, so far seems un-paired, but only arrived
two days ago. It is quite remarkable that after just one
Spring Reed Warbler record over the past seven years, two
pairs could suddenly turn up and now look set to breed
here for the first time. However, they are incredibly
difficult to see, but were singing for most of the early
afternoon. |
