Bird news for March 2008

March 4th

A record single count of five Stonechat were on Penny Pasture Common this afternoon, including four males and a single female. The group had presumably arrived overnight, as there was no sign of any Stonechats during a thorough search yesterday afternoon. A Shelduck was at Eakring Flash.

March 6th

A male Stonechat on Penny Pasture Common this morning, brings the total to nine birds so far this year. A Brambling was with the finch flock in fields at Park Farm. Also in the Eakring Meadows area were 39 Common Snipe, with another five birds at Eakring Flash. A Water Rail was heard calling at the southern-end of Eakring Flash, with four Shelduck there this morning.

Migrant Stonechat are still continuing to move through the area, with two males at Eakring Flash mid-morning and a female favouring the roadside hedges between Eakring and Wellow. 2000 and 2004 have previously provided the highest Spring Stonechat totals of three, but there have already been 12 different birds through here to date.

Other birds in the area included the Long-eared Owl in it's daytime roost near Kersall and a Nuthatch was in Hare Hill Wood (6th area record, not including 1-2 birds at Lound Wood from November 2002-January 2003)

The morning was also notable for some Common Buzzard passage, with five probable migrants coming over from the south-west and continuing north and north-east. A few passerines also through, including Meadow Pipit, Goldfinch and Linnet.

Yet another Stonechat arrived this morning, with a female at the northern-end of Eakring Flash. An adult male Peregrine was around Tug Bridge Farm, where it sat at the top of an electricity pylon for several minutes. Elsewhere in the area this morning were 18 Common Snipe at Eakring Meadows and the Long-eared Owl again in the Kersall roost (per Robin Brace)

March 17th

The only notable bird found during a very brief visit to the area this afternoon, was a male Stonechat along the roadside hedgerow between Eakring and Wellow. The 14th Stonechat here since February 28th. A Common Buzzard was at Red Hill.

March 19th

Another two Stonechat at Penny Pasture Common this morning, continued the record Spring passage this year. This male was one of a pair which frequented the northern boundary fence, where it was most sheltered from the northerly wind. A few Fieldfare in the area and a Common Buzzard at Tug Bridge Farm and another drake Pochard was at Eakring Flash.

March 26th

A very productive late afternoon visit to the area produced a drake Wigeon, which is the first ever March record and a late Water Rail at Eakring Flash (calling frequently and seen once when flushed by a Coot) A group of ten Whooper Swan flew west over there at 16:10h and shortly afterwards, a group of three Common Crossbill flew north at 16:23h. Some further signs of return migration, with 37 Fieldfare and 124 Starling moving east. Two Meadow Pipit and two Linnet flew north-west.

March 27th

The fine conditions overnight allowed the first Summer migrants to finally arrive, with male Chiffchaffs at Eakring village and Oil Bore Holes and two Sand Martin north-west over Hare Hill Wood. There was also a good Meadow Pipit movement, with a total of 244 north-west being the best Spring count since 2001. Other migrant totals included 164 Wood Pigeon north, 59 Starling north-east, along with small numbers of Linnet, Pied Wagtail, Redwing and Greenfinch. An extremely large flock of 950 Golden Plover were over Red Hill, being disturbed from fields west of the recording area and a Nuthatch was calling in Hare Hill Wood, presumably the bird last heard there on March 14th.

March 29th

A morning which despite producing very little passerine migration, provided some excellent records. The area's first ever Red-breasted Merganser was the obvious highlight, seen coming in from the north and circling Eakring Flash a couple of times before heading off west at 06:20h. A female Merlin went west at 07:05 and other birds through there this morning included 32 Meadow Pipit, two Tree Sparrow north-west, 82 Starling east and eight Common Gull very high north.

A female Stonechat was along The Beck at Eakring Flash (per Robin Brace) and a further two males were found along roadside hedgerows near Eakring Field Farm (one per Robin Brace) making it a total of 19 Stonechat through here this Spring. These were also the latest ever Spring records. At Eakring Meadows, there were still at least 30 Common Snipe (itself a good record for this date) and two Jack Snipe (per Robin Brace)

New Chiffchaffs today included four at High Trees on the east of Eakring village and four Common Buzzards were at three sites. Three Shelduck were on Eakring Flash and still four Teal there.

March 30th

A much quieter morning, with no sign of any of yesterday's Stonechats. However, a male Wheatear was seen briefly in Oil-seed Rape before being lost to view, and there were at least seven Buzzards seen. A single Sand Martin flew north-west.

Eakring Bird news
March 2008
Featuring news and sightings from Eakring