An early afternoon visit to the Hare Hill Wood area, produced two Common Buzzards and two Hobby (adult and juvenile) high south-west. Much rarer though was a Nuthatch, which flew into Hare Hill Wood from the Eakring Meadows direction, being the first record here for several years.

Other birds in the area today included the first Snipe of the Autumn, present on the former flooded area at Tug Bridge Farm and two Common Buzzards were on straw bales near Leyfields, whilst at least five were very high over Hare Hill Wood during the afternoon. A selection of warblers along the old hedge at Eakring Flash included single Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, Willow Warbler and four Chiffchaff, with a scattering of warblers at other sites. Still very little passering migration, although three single Yellow Wagtails flew south and south-east during the morning and a minimum of 17 were at Tug Bridge Farm.

Once again there were numbers of Common Buzzards around, with five over Red Hill, two over Lound Wood and two at Tug Bridge Farm. Most of the birds in (or going over) the area at the moment are juveniles and the numbers suggest that a good percentage of these are probably migrants or wanderers.

Other birds today were an adult Hobby hunting over Eakring village, flocks of Goldfinch were at two sites, with 43 at Eakring Flash and 34 at Penny Pasture Common and around 50 Linnets were around fields at Eakring Flash. The first Goldcrest moved through Eakring Meadows and there were 13 Golden Plover in fields opposite Eakring Field Farm.

A Hobby and at least five Common Buzzards were noted between Eakring Flash and Eakring Meadows and there were three Yellow-legged Gulls in fields at Church Hill - two adults and what was probably the same 3cy bird present in the same area on September 3rd. The walk also revealed that virtually all warblers present over the past couple of days had moved on and there were just four Chiffchaff, three Whitethroat and single Willow Warbler and Blackcap found.

Some proper signs that migration is actually underway, came in the form of increased numbers of Swallows and Meadow Pipits through the area today. However, birds were very hard to detect under a clear blue sky. Totals included 55 Swallow, 23 Meadow Pipit and four Yellow Wagtail all south-east, and an increased number of warblers at Eakring Flash and Penny Pasture Common produced five Chiffchaff, four Whitethroat, single Lesser Whitethroat and Willow Warbler. Two Goldcrest were following hedgerows south through the Red Hill area and Jays were more obvious this morning.

In the same general area, a Hobby was seen and is probably the bird which was seen on the 5th, two Common Buzzards at Tug Bridge Farm and a Turtle Dove flew north-west through Eakring Flash.

The 1st Winter Redstart was again in the Hawthorns at Penny Pasture Common and two Spotted Flycatchers were in trees at the top of Red Hill. At least five Common Buzzards were in the area today.

A Barn Owl was disturbed from it's roost close to Eakring Flash and may be the bird which was at Lound Wood last month. Single Common Buzzards were at Leyfields, Penny Pasture Common and Lound Wood.

It still remains incredibly quiet on the visible migration front. There was just a trickle of Meadow Pipits south-east, a group of four Yellow Wagtails went in the same direction and Siskin were noted for the third consecutive morning. Today, 12 flew low west and three went high south-east.

A Lesser Redpoll was at Eakring Flash briefly, with four Chiffchaff there. An adult Yellow-legged Gull and the two Hobbies were in the Park Farm area.

Otherwise the morning was extremely quiet. There were only 30 passerines noted passing overhead, but searching of the hedges and bushes provided seven Chiffchaff, three Blackcap, single Lesser Whitethroat along the old hedge at Eakring Flash and very little else. The 1st Winter male Redstart was still at Penny Pasture Common, but was more difficult to find today. The first Pink-footed Geese of the Autumn went over in skiens of 30 high east at 09:04h and 37 high east at 10:20h.

Also in the area today were an immature Peregrine, which spent much of it's time sat on an electricity pylon near Leyfields farm, at one time seen to unsuccessfully attack a male Pheasant. A Hobby was circling over Eakring Flash (per Tony Wardell and Robin Brace) and the 1st Winter male Redstart was still at Penny Pasture Common and again favouring the roadside hedgerow, opposite the entrance to Eakring Field Farm.

The 1st Winter male Redstart was also still at Penny Pasture Common this morning, seen around the roadside hedge immediately opposite Eakring Field Farm. This bird is the longest staying Redstart since 1998 and has now been present for eight days. Some passage again today, with 268 Swallow south despite the wind, but little else. A Lesser Whitethroat was at Eakring Flash, a Blackcap was in the same hedge as the Ring Ouzel and four Chiffchaff were at two sites.

A thorough search for the Ring Ouzel drew a blank and there was also no sign of the Redstart around Penny Pasture Common this morning. However, the day's best records were six Pintail (including two drakes) present at Eakring Flash till they flew off west at 07:10h and two 1st Winter Kittiwakes that flew west over Lound Wood. The Pintail record is only the fourth for the area, and the first since one was at Eakring Flash in September 2003. Much rarer were the two Kittiwakes. These birds were picked up whilst counting a flock of Redwing passing over Lound Wood at 08:10h and is only the second record, with the previous being on October 3rd 1998.

Other sightings today - single Chiffchaffs were at two sites, three Jays passed through Eakring Flash and Penny Pasture Common and three Common Buzzards were over Leyfields. Good numbers of gulls in the area, with an increase in numbers of Common Gull evident. Another excellent record came during a second visit in the afternoon, when three Common Tern flew west through Eakring Flash at 14:50h and the first tern record ever for September.

Despite the perfect weather, there was little passerine migration this morning, but there was a wider variety of species recorded. Some of the more interesting counts included 87 Swallow, 47 Meadow Pipit, 25 Snipe, six Siskin, four Jay and a Coal Tit through.