Eakring Bird news

April 1st

Very little moving through in windy conditions this morning, with only small numbers of both Meadow Pipit and Linnet struggling north-west. A single Curlew flew high north at 08:00h and still around 50 Golden Plover in the Red Hill area briefly.

April 3rd

A few Meadow Pipits moved through high first thing this morning, but then all movements stopped completely after half an hour and the morning ended up being rather disappointing. There was a small arrival of warblers, which included the first Blackcap of the year and five new Chiffchaffs. Swallows moved south and then north-west during the morning and there were at least ten Common Buzzards viewable from Eakring Flash during the early afternoon, with several of these appearing to move through at high altitude.

An extremely quiet morning, with only a handful of Meadow Pipit and Linnet moving through. Two new Blackcap and two Chiffchaff arrived overnight at Eakring Meadows. The highlight of the morning, was an Osprey which arrived at Eakring Flash low from the south-east (presumably having roosted nearby overnight) and then left low north-west after five minutes. The first Osprey here since 2005.

Summer migrants continue to arrive, with three Wheatear together in fields opposite Eakring Field Farm. Two Willow Warbler were at Eakring Flash and five Chiffchaff were also new this morning. There was the first signs of hirundines beginning to move through, with 16 Sand Martin north-west, whilst Swallows included a single back at Tug Bridge Farm, two in Eakring village and one through north-west.
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Throughout the morning, there was a light passage of both Meadow Pipit and Linnet, but the clear skies made detecting birds overhead very difficult. At least nine Common Buzzards were in the area, of which some were probably migrants. Two Teal and a late Water Rail, were at Eakring Flash.

April 10th

Very quiet on the visible migration front this morning, with just a handful of Meadow Pipits, Linnet and Sand Martins through. 12 Fieldfare flew north-west. Unusual was a Heron which dropped into Eakring Flash, high from the south, then soon continued off north. Still a pair of Teal at Eakring Flash. Four Shelduck were at Tug Bridge Farm.

April 11th

Even quieter than yesterday this morning, but a female Marsh Harrier that flew low south-west over Lound Wood and Eakring Flash, was one of just 23 birds recorded flying through the area. The pair of Teal remain at Eakring Flash and two drakes were at Penny Pasture Common.

April 15th

Another very quiet morning, but with an increase in Goldfinches moving through today, including 12 north. Other moving birds included a Tree Sparrow south, the first House Martin of the year north (late afternoon) and nine Fieldfare north-east, after having been at Eakring Meadows. Three Sparrowhawk all drifted north-west together during the morning and a male Peregrine went north-east. Two Common Gull also went north-east.

April 17th

Visibly, extremely little was moving through this morning, but evidence of continuing migration came in the form of an arrival of warblers throughout the area today. There were six Blackcap, three Chiffchaff and two Willow Warblers all new in, whilst an early Lesser Whitethroat was at Penny Pasture Common.

April 19th

Against a backdrop of fresh arrivals and some hirundine movement, the highlight of the morning was a female Ring Ouzel at Eakring village. The bird remained elusive and generally favoured gardens and hedges containing Ivy, surrounding the horse paddocks at the rear of Ryall's Farm.

The morning began overcast and with a light north-easterly breeze, providing the right conditions for migrants. Small numbers of Swallows were moving through until it began to rain with 27 generally north-east and north-west, the first Yellow Wagtail of the year dropped into Eakring Flash, then two more flew east, a Sedge Warbler was also new for the year at Eakring Flash, a a Whitethroat appeared later in the morning but remained silent.

April 20th

More hirundines moving through this morning, with a morning total of 35 Swallow north-west and 24 Sand Martin north. Small numbers of Goldfinch continue to move north through here, a Yellow Wagtail flew north-east and a Jay flew north. A male Wheatear was at Tug Bridge Farm and an Egyptian Goose flying east, represented the first Eakring record since September 2005. Four Teal were at Eakring Flash. No sign of the female Ring Ouzel today in windy conditions.

		An arrival of migrants into the area this morning, but visually, nothing moving through apart from four Swallow, four Sand Martin, four Yellow Wagtail and little else. It was quite surprising that a male Wheatear turned up at Eakring Flash, followed shortly after by a very flighty female Whinchat (earliest ever site record) Both birds soon disappeared, but moving to Tug Bridge Farm provided three male and a female Wheatear in the bare roadside field and a female Redstart across the road next to the farm. Another female Redstart was in the Hawthorns at Penny Pasture Common. Other new arrivals/moving birds this morning, included single Willow Warbler, Sedge Warbler and Whitethroat, a Marsh Tit moved through Eakring Flash and continued north along the hedge towards Lound Wood and another Jay flew high north.

April 23rd

A small arrival of warblers overnight included new two Whitethroat, two Blackcap, the first male Grasshopper Warblers of the year at Eakring Flash and Penny Pature Common and a single Chiffchaff. A male Wheatear was at Tug Bridge Farm and a Swift flew north-west.

April 24th

Despite the clear skies and for most of the time little visibly moving through, there was clear evidence that birds were moving through at pace this morning. Visible migration counts were low, but 16 Meadow Pipit all straight north-west was interesting,as it was the best count for a while. Sometimes there is a second wave of Meadow Pipits in late April and these are thought to be northerly breeding birds.

A Greenland Wheatear arrived at Eakring Flash and fed quickly before moving on again within the space of ten minutes and other migrants included three Yellow Wagtail though, a Swift and 22 Golden Plover north-west and a Jay high south-west (the third of recent days) There was no sign of either of yesterday's Grasshopper Warblers, but a female Sedge Warbler arrived at Eakring Flash, a Lesser Whitethroat and male Blackcap were at Red Hill, Whitethroats were new at Eakring Flash and very briefly seen racing through a hedgerow at Tug Bridge Farm. A Willow Warbler at Tug Bridge Farm was an unusual location.

		A trickle of migrants moved through this morning, including 30 Swallow and 11 Sand Martin. With rain early on, expectations for a good morning were high, but another female Wheatear at Tug Bridge Farm was the best bird of the day. Other migrants included two Jay high north over Eakring Meadows and new warblers in this morning were two Whitethroat, two Blackcap, single Lesser Whitethroat and Chiffchaff. Unusual for the time of year were the three 2cy Great Black-backed Gulls which flew east and three Lesser Black-backed Gulls went north-east, with another north-west.

April 28th

Another quiet morning, but warblers were moving through Eakring Flash again, with a tight group of three male Blackcap together that all left north being a very unusual record. Other brief warblers included single Willow Warbler and Sedge Warbler, with another Sedge Warbler along the old hedge at Eakring Flash. Jays continue to move through north, with two through this morning (virtually daily this last week) and small numbers of hirundines headed in various directions throughout.

April 29th

A late afternoon/evening visit produced some hirundine movement in heavy rain. Totals included 38 Swallow north-west, two House Martin, single Sand Martin and two Swift north. Still at least one Teal at Eakring Flash and a notable seven Tufted Duck.

Quite a good morning, when expectations were that it would be quiet. On arrival at Eakring Flash a female Marsh Harrier was being mobbed, before it drifted off east at 06:20h.

There was a decent passage of hirundines with 30 Swallow and 18 House Martin north-west within the first hour or so, before all movement seemed to peter out. Six Swift flew west and north.

A female Whinchat was along The Beck at the northern-end of Eakring Flash, whilst a female Wheatear turned up briefly nearby. The male Grasshopper Warbler remains at Penny Pasture Common and Whitethroats continue to arrive, with six new birds in today.

Eakring Bird news
April 2010
Featuring news and sightings from Eakring