Bird news for October 2007

October 3rd

The two 1st Winter male Redstarts in the Hawthorns at Penny Pasture Common this afternoon, with a Chiffchaff and 41 Swallows there. Photographic evidence shows that this new bird has actually been present here since September 30th.

The Peregrine was seen twice, first over Eakring Flash and then later over Penny Pasture Common.

October 4th

Both 1st Winter male Redstarts were again getting around the Hawthorns at Penny Pasture Common this morning. Photographs show that the bird which arrived on September 30th has an injured leg, which made it slightly less mobile than the long-staying bird that has remained here since September 16th. It's also very likely that this second bird originated from Scandinavia and arrived along the UK's east coast some time over the past few days.

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Also in the area today were single Chiffchaffs at Eakring Flash and Penny Pasture Common, the Peregrine was again causing havoc with the 350+ Lesser Black Backed Gulls and the 3cy Yellow-legged Gull that was with them in fields around the Leyfields area. 75 Pink-footed Geese flew east over Lound Wood at 08:27h and Jays continue to be numerous around the area. 50 Golden Plover were briefly in fields at Church Hill, till disturbed by the Peregrine.

October 5th

Very quiet during an afternoon visit to the area today. The long-staying 1st Winter male Redstart was still at Penny Pasture Common, with no sign of the injured bird present for the previous two days.

October 6th

Whilst Eakring Flash remained extremely quiet this morning, there was an adult Yellow-legged Gull following the plough at Park Farm and the 1st Winter male Redstart remained at Penny Pasture Common continuing it's residence there. Two Stonechats were present along the hedge which runs at the side of the track leading up to Eakring Field Farm. One bird was initially seen at the western-end of Penny Pasture Common, before being lost from view and subsequently relocated. A Blackcap was near Eakring Flash.

The male Stonechat was again along the entrance to Eakring Field Farm this afternoon, getting on the telphone wires and along the hedge there. Across the road, the 1st Winter male Redstart was still at Penny Pasture Common, today equalling the area's latest-ever record which has stood since 1998. A Chiffchaff near Eakring Flash, was the only warbler found this afternoon and other wise, the area seemed to be generally quiet.

October 10th

The 1st Winter male Redstart was in the Hawthorns on Penny Pasture Common this afternoon and is now the latest Redstart ever here now by some three days. Two groups of Fieldfare totalling 42 birds, moved south-west over Eakring Flash late afternoon.

A morning of good passerine migration today and with an obvious arrival of Blackbird, Song Thrush, Redwing and Fieldfare at many sites across the area. Rarest bird of the morning was the 1st Winter male Redstart at Penny Pasture Common, this being the bird with the injured leg and last seen on October 4th. There was no sign of the longest-staying of the two 1st Winter males this morning, but it is likely to still be present and has been elusive before. Best of the visible migration counts were 118 Chaffinch and 247 Starling all west, 56 Redwing, 54 Fieldfare, 11 Pied Wagtail, 33 Linnet and 14 Greenfinch all moved south-east and/or west. An obvious arrival of thrushes this morning saw a minimum of 23 Blackbird, 15 Redwing and a few Song Thrush in bushes at the southern-end of Eakring Flash, with numerous small groups of Blackbirds at most other sites visited. 48 Fieldfare also dropped in at Eakring Flash briefly before moving off south-west, and four Lesser Redpoll and two seperate Coal Tits moved through the old hedge.

October 13th

A quiet morning, with little sign of any real visible migration. The area around Eakring Flash saw 53 Fieldfare and 68 Redwing present, but there were fewer Blackbirds around today. A late Chiffchaff was at Eakring Meadows but there was no sign of either Redstarts at Penny Pasture Common despite searching. Two adult Yellow-legged Gulls were with 200 Lesser Black-backed Gulls in fields at Church Hill.

October 14th

A better morning with visible migration producing totals of 450 Starling west, 103 Chaffinch west and north-west, 132 Redwing south-west, and 151 Lapwing west. At least one Brambling went through west with Chaffinches and 91 Fieldfare flew south-west with another 100 at Tug Bridge Farm. Near Tug Bridge Farm, a predominantly Lesser Black-backed Gull flock (c200 birds) also contained single adult and 1cy Yellow-legged Gulls, the first Great Black-backed Gull of the Autumn and seven Herring Gulls. Additional gulls included another Great Black-backed Gull south-west and a single group of ten Herring Gulls south. The Peregrine was again in the Leyfields and Lound Wood area.

Two 1st Winter Greenland Wheatears were at the northern-end of the recording area this afternoon, in fields near the Pyramidal buildings of the Severn-Trent STW between Eakring and Wellow. This is a new latest date for Wheatear here, beating the previous record by a few days. All October Wheatears, which have been specifically identified to race in previous years, have been found to be of the larger Greenland race.

October 18th

A male Stonechat was at Penny Pasture Common this morning and the fourth of the Autumn so far. A Chiffchaff also present, was the latest ever recorded from the area.

Although there was no obvious large-scale passage of migrants, the morning's visible migration counts reached the following totals. Fieldfare 696 west, Starling 321 west, Wood Pigeon 337 south-west, Chaffinch 43 west and Redwing 63 west.

October 20th

Starlings and Chaffinches continue to move through, with totals of 467 and 42 west respectively. A single Brambling went west and eight Teal were at Eakring Flash.

Two Roe Deer were in the Red Hill area late morning, showing well at relatively close range, before moving off and becoming distant in fields. In nearly ten years covering the area, this was only my third Roe Deer sighting, although I have found tracks and there have been other confirmed sightings from local villagers and farmers.

October 21st

A generally quieter feel to the morning today, but a highlight in the form of a Rock Pipit flying south-west over Eakring Flash at 08:25h and the first record here since 2000. Starlings the best of the moving birds today, with 416 through west. Chaffinch continue to pass over with some high westerly moving groups again, the largest of which was 19 birds and part of a final total of 116 birds mostly west. At least two Brambling were noted moving with Chaffinches, with singles west and south-east. A noticeable difference today were the Blackbirds passing over in various directions and at height. 19 Blackbird through, being a good visible migration record.

At least 65 Golden Plover are currently roaming widely across and over the area and 400 Fieldfare were at Tug Bridge Farm, with another 50 around Eakring Meadows. Good numbers of Redwing across the area still.

October 27th

Quiet again this morning. A Water Rail was calling at Eakring Flash, from The Beck where it runs along the old hedge. Still good numbers of Lesser Black-backed Gulls in the area, with at least 350 present today.

Eakring Bird news
October 2007
Featuring news and sightings from Eakring