Wildfowl highlights were restricted to a female Goosander which made a lengthy stay from the 2-13th. Snipe reached 15 birds at the beginning of the month at Eakring Meadows.

Golden Plover reached a record 696 near Red Hill on the 5th and waders were also represented by a Curlew moving south-west on the 13th and a Jack Snipe at Eakring Meadows on the same date.

Visible migration saw peak counts of 189 Meadow Pipits on the 27th, with 473 Fieldfare north-west the following day. Redwing showed an upsurge in records and 63 on the 18th was an excellent spring total. The first Chiffchaff arrived on the 27th, much later than last year, with numbers throughout the coming months seen to be very depleted and down on those of 1998.

Waders were represented by three Little-Ringed Plover, two Curlew, with single Green Sandpipers on both 4th and 9th and several Redshank sightings.

By the end of the month, virtually all summer visitors were in. Four Wheatears in pastures at Tug-Bridge Farm were very unusual in location, with their presence initially indicated by a male flying across the road. A single Brambling at Eakring Flash on the 25th was the only record until the Autumn. The only Grasshopper Warbler of the month was reeling in scrub on the Kneesall Road, on the 28th.

Whimbrel were noted for the first time in spring here when singles moved north on the 14th and north-east on the 16th. Little Ringed Plover were recorded on the 5th and 6th. A new species for the area was recorded when a drake Ruddy Duck was present from the 13-14th.

Wildfowl aside, June remained predictably quiet, the month’s birding predominantly taken up with the annual breeding bird survey. Preliminary results indicated mixed fortunes for many species. Blackbirds continued to increase and it seems may soon number over 100 pairs if the present rate of population growth continues, despite predation from Sparrowhawks. Song Thrush numbers were also up and birds were found to be more widespread than last year, which was especially pleasing amongst the birds’ recent press reports. Other species on the increase, included both Wren and Chaffinch, while on the down side, no Lapwing bred at all this year and Grey Partridge totalled just one pair.

Other noteworthy records included the site’s second and third Ruddy Ducks, four Curlew on two dates at the start of the month, a very brief Green Sandpiper on the 11th, three Common Tern on the 6th and 19th and an early Tree Pipit on the 22nd. There were two records of Yellow-legged Gull during the month and three of Hobby. These were the first Hobby sightings of the year, following a blank spring.

Waders were well represented, with records of Green Sandpiper throughout, two Common Sandpiper on the 5th, three Dunlin on two dates and regular Snipe. Whimbrel passage occurred on three dates, two of which produced groups of 10 moving north-west on the 8th, 16 moving north-west on the 22nd and finally a single west on the 29th. There were two records of single Greenshank present on the 9th and 16th.

A juvenile Garganey present from the 7-9th, associated with Mallard, often in stubble fields and was very elusive and flighty, but a good addition to the species list. The scarcity of Shoveler was again evident, producing only one record of a single on the 29th. Why this species is so scarce here remains a mystery, but the similarity to last year’s occurrence is interesting.

Migration during August saw an almost continuous trickle of hirundines moving through the area, along with eight Tree Pipits on several dates, good numbers of Yellow Wagtail and a single Crossbill moving south-west on the 17th was another site first. This welcome addition came after a small but significant arrival in most eastern counties during July. Careful monitoring of warbler numbers, showed that all species were on the move and some good accumulative counts were made during the month.

One particular day stood out from the rest of August. The 22nd saw an unprecedented movement of Raptors through the area, with three Common Buzzards, Honey Buzzard and Hobby moving through. The Honey Buzzard obviously representing another first site record. On a quite exceptional and varied morning, the Raptors were the most obvious highlights, though it must be remembered that several other good records included the previously mentioned 16 Whimbrel, single Wheatear on Red Hill, Whinchat at Eakring Flash, along with 14 Spotted Flycatcher around the area. This total included eleven at Eakring Meadows, two at Eakring Flash, with a single on Red Hill.

Surprisingly not recorded last year, migrant Reed Warblers were at Eakring Flash on the 14th and again on the 29th. Maybe with the continued maturing of Eakring Flash and continued vegetation growth, the Reed Warbler will become a more regular visitor, with breeding remaining very unlikely due to lack of habitat at this time. A further new addition to the list occurred at the end of the month when a Hawfinch flew south-west towards Eakring village on the 31st.

Migration became more purposeful as September progressed and large numbers of both House Martin and Swallow moved through. Peak House Martin counts occurred between 20-29th, with 883 birds moving south-east during the afternoon of the 25th alone. Indeed, the afternoons frequently matched the traditional higher morning counts, with movements on some dates being quite spectacular as seemingly endless numbers of birds passed through. Swallows provided similar movements and numbers, though over a more extended period, with a peak of 613 on the 28th. At the same time good numbers of Meadow Pipits were also recorded and although the high numbers that passed through on the morning of the 25th were missed, a respectable total of 162 was reached in the afternoon. This was followed by 290 moving south-east the next day. Systematic visible migration watches also accounted for the area’s second Crossbill on the 1st.

Wildfowl records during the month were few, but there were two exceptional record site counts. After an overnight arrival of 35 on the 1st, Gadwall numbers peaked at 46 on the 4th. Surely this count will never be repeated. Wigeon were recorded on numerous dates, due primarily to the presence of two long staying birds, but these were eclipsed by the flock of 60 that flew west on the 11th. The 11 moving west on the 13th would have otherwise represented an excellent site count.

Redstarts were present at the same localities as last year and on a total of nine dates, with four birds involved, including at least two males, with Whinchats totalling seven birds. A single Wheatear was in the Red Hill /Eakring Flash area from the 14-15th.

At the end of the month, good numbers of Song Thrush and Blackbirds were recorded, indicating that an arrival had taken place. This was especially evident at Oil Bore Holes on the 26th, where at least 40+ Blackbirds fed in the Hawthorns along with 12+ Song Thrush. The same site producing five Blackcap and three Chiffchaff, part of a similar arrival throughout the area on the same day. Further notable warbler records included different Willow Warblers at Eakring Meadows on the 11th and 12th, with a good arrival of both Chiffchaff (13) and Lesser Whitethroat (11) earlier in the month on the 5th. A single Reed Warbler was present in the old hedge at Eakring Flash, from the 3-5th. This was the third record of this scarce warbler, since the first in August. As autumn migration continued, sightings of warblers gradually dwindled. A Garden Warbler at Eakring Meadows on the 11th, was the first true Autumnal occurrence of the species in the area. A similar, but much rarer record was the Grasshopper Warbler that remained at Eakring Flash from the 13-14th - an Autumn record scarce, even on a county level.

A single Peregrine hunting Wood Pigeon on the 13th, represented the raptor highlight and at least two Common Buzzards remained in the area throughout. These included single birds at Lound Wood and Hare Hill Wood /Eakring Meadows.

Good numbers of wintering Thrushes were present throughout, mostly in the Eakring Meadows and Pastures area. Migratory figures were relatively low although counts did number 677 and 364 of both Fieldfare and Redwing respectively on the 14th.

Teal counts reached 30 at Eakring Flash on the 30th, although it must be emphasised that most wildfowl counts were below those achieved at the corresponding time last year. Last month’s Water Rail remained throughout November and Coot unusually remained after the July exodus of 1998. Perhaps the increasing maturity of the Flash is the reason, as all other breeding sites were vacated on time.

Good numbers of wintering thrushes were again in evidence, although Redwing remained scarce and in small numbers. Counts of many of the common bird species seemed slightly lower than at the previous time in 1998. Although no actual accurate counting took place during the systematic coverage of the area,an obvious drop in the wintering populations of many of these species seemed quite noticeable.