Bird news for January 2008

January 1st

An extremely quiet day to open the new year. Just two Common Snipe and four Teal were on Penny Pasture Common, with 200 Fieldfare in fields at Park Farm.

News from outside the recording area concerns a Little Egret at Bilsthorpe. Apparently this bird has been present for some weeks around the various waters on Bilsthorpe Pit Top. Today it was along the stream, running through fields adjacent to the A614. What makes this sighting particularly frustrating, is the fact that this bird has probably overflown, or even visited the Eakring area at some time over the past few weeks.

January 3rd

Still quiet. Just a Common Snipe along The Beck at Eakring Flash and 32 Common Gull in the area. Stubble fields at Red Hill produced a flock of 80 Sky Lark and 44 Yellowhammer, with a Common Buzzard there. 97 Lapwing flew south-west in three groups.

A pair of Goosander were the first of the year at Eakring Flash this afternoon, with 13 Teal also present there. A flock of 48 Wigeon were flying around the Red Hill area, presumably after having been disturbed from one of the waters on Bilsthorpe Pit Top.

Wigeon have become very scarce at Eakring in recent years and this count represents the second highest count for the area since a flock of 60 flew west over Eakring Flash on September 11th 1999.

Around 40 Fieldfare were in fields just east of Eakring village.

January 5th

An adult Iceland Gull was in fields with 36 Herring Gull at Eakring Flash briefly this morning, till they flew off south-west towards Bilsthorpe Tip at 08:43h. This is only the third record of Iceland Gull here, the last being another adult seen on December 31st 2000 and January 1st 2001. Other gulls in the Eakring Flash area early this morning were 44 Common Gull and three Great Black-backed Gulls. The pair of Goosander were on Eakring Flash till they eventually flew off west and there were still at least 35 Wigeon again noted flying to the west of Red Hill.

January 6th

Both male and female Goosander were again on Eakring Flash this morning. Gull counts included 39 Herring Gull and 51 Black-headed Gull. A Common Buzzard was in the Red Hill area.

January 12th

The regular Goosander pair were on Eakring Flash this morning, till they flew off west. It seems that these birds roost here overnight, spending the day elsewhere. Near Eakring Flash, at the sewage treatment works, a Water Rail calling from the small Phragmites beds there and a rare Winter record of Brambling this morning, with a single near High Trees.

Gull counts today included 58 Herring Gull, 31 Great Black-backed Gull and 70 Black-headed Gull, with just ten Common Gull and two Lesser Black-backed Gulls noted. A Common Buzzard was in the Eakring Flash and Leyfields areas.

January 13th

The first Peregrine of the year seen this morning, moving south over Eakring Flash. The poor light conditions meant that it was impossible to age this bird, but size suggested a male. There was little else of note in the area, but some decent counts of gulls today included 67 Herring Gull and 53 Common Gull around Eakring Flash. A Common Buzzard was in the Lound Wood/Red Hill area.

January 16th

Single Common Buzzard, 273 Fieldfare and 30 Redwing were in fields at Tug Bridge Farm, with around 80 Fieldfare at Penny Pasture Common. Four Gadwall at Eakring Flash were the first of the year.

January 17th

Very little about in driving rain this morning. A pair of Goosander and five Teal were present at Eakring Flash, with 29 Common Gull there and a single group of ten Herring Gull flew south.

January 19th

Eakring Meadows held 19 Common Snipe this morning, representing an increase in numbers of any Autumn counts, but there was no sign of any Jack Snipe. At least one Water Rail was calling persistently from Eakring Flash for ten minutes. Notable gull counts this morning included 68 Common Gull at Eakring Flash and 93 Herring Gull mostly south-west.

Two records of common birds this morning were extremely unusual in their occurrence for the time of year. A flock of 105 Starling flew south-east and a flock of 66 Black-headed Gull flew very high south. Both records being unusual in that they were in the manner of genuine migrants.

A walk around Eakring village, produced a very surprising 130 House Sparrow, seven Bullfinch and a single Lesser Redpoll. Goldcrests included three around Eakring village, two at Tug Bridge Farm and one at Eakring Meadows.

Two Shelduck were on Eakring Flash this afternoon, producing a typical first date of the year for Shelduck at this site. Nearby, two Common Buzzards were over Lound Wood, with the plumage of one of these birds indicating that it was possibly a new bird to the area. At Tug Bridge Farm, still over 200 Fieldfare present in fields opposite the farm and at least four Tree Sparrows there. Otherwise the area remains extremely quiet at the moment.

January 26th

Now four Coot on Eakring Flash late afternoon, all of which were new, as the bird that turned up on the 20th soon moved on. A Water Rail was calling from the southern-end of Eakring Flash and four Gadwall and the first Tufted Duck of the year were also present. A Common Buzzard was at Tug Bridge Farm.

Eakring Bird news
January 2008
Featuring news and sightings from Eakring