If not notable for it's range of species, 2008 once again proved that with persistant effort, farmland habitat can provide a surprising range of species, whilst visible migration watches can provide both species and numbers.

2008 was by no means an exceptional year for migration and work commitments meant that the peak mornings for several species were missed. This especially applied to continental migrants making North Sea crossings. Although both Fieldfare and Redwing did provide four figure counts in October, totals for many species were lower than would have been expected.

The first survey to cover every breeding species in the Eakring and Kersall area since 1998, went very much against the national trend of decline in the fortunes of several species, whilst it highlighted a decline in more unexpected species. Once again, particular attention was made regarding threatened farmland species, but it pleasing to report that several still continued to do well in 2008.

Wildfowl counts

Yet another very poor year, especially during the Autumn and first part of the Winter months. In fact Teal had their worst year ever here, but there were good numbers of Wigeon noted in January, although these birds spent most of their time on Bilsthorpe Pit Top. The poor Summer led to very few broods of any species.

Three Autumn records was a good showing on recent years, with a pair of west over Eakring Flash on October 30th and single drakes at Eakring Flash on November 15th and December 25th.

More migrants occured during the Autumn, when the resident population was augmented by migrant/dispersing birds, with counts of six over Red Hill on August 21st, a record 17 were over Red Hill on September 13th, with 11 a few days later on September 18th. Numbers remained above average during early October, with six noted on October 5th. Two juvenile birds often frequented fields opposite Eakring Field Farm during the month, including one distinctive pale bird.

The first arriving bird of the Autumn period, was a single at Eakring Flash on September 27th and October 30th. There was an increase during November with two at Eakring Flash (6th) three from November 13-15th, then two continuing to be present after the 15th. Only one Water Rail was present at Eakring Flash all December.

Three moving west (July 26th) and one moving north-west (August 16th) were the first Autumn record. The only records involving more than five birds throughout the rest of the year, were of seven at Park Farm on September 28th and 33 at several sites in the area on the October 30th.

A record 16 pairs occupied territories in the Red Hill, Park Farm and Kersall areas. At Park Farm, many of the 12 pairs nested on the recently created grass areas, but nesting was by no means confined to these.

The first returning Autumn bird was one at Penny Pasture Common on August 21st, with singles moving south-west on September 14th, 18th and 27th, then two north over Eakring Flash on 28th. 20 were at Eakring Meadows on November 21st, with an increase in December, when 32 were at both Penny Pasture Common and Eakring Meadows on December 11th. 21 were again at Eakring Meadows on December 24th.

September saw two records with an adult at Eakring Field Farm (21st) and five adults in fields in the Red Hill area (25th)

October saw a further two records, with a 2cy bird in fields at Church Hill on 2nd and an adult and a 3cy in fields at Eakring Flash on 11th.

Much of the area is now well occupied by Sky Larks and their spread across the area has generally been eastwards, although there is still a distinct lack of breeding pairs in areas to the north and north-east of Lound Wood.

During the Winter months, a count of 80 in stubble fields at Red Hill on January 3rd, was a record.

Spring arrival was from April 4th, with one of the area's breeding birds appearing at Eakring the next day. No significant daily or monthly counts were made. Autumn migration was quite pronounced this year, easily being the best for several years. September again proved to be the peak month, with 398 south on September 14th the best of the counts. There were two October records, with the latest date being October 16th.

The Autumn produced further records of singles over Eakring Flash on August 14th and 16th,. one was present at Penny Pasture Common on August 19th and a group of three moved south over Eakring Flash on August 21st. There were three records during the first half of Seotember, with one at Penny Pasture Common (2nd) and singles south on 3rd and south-east on 14th.

August and September provided the following records. Single birds at Eakring Flash August 21st and Penny Pasture Common August 24th. One arrived in company with a Redstart at Eakring Flash on September 2nd, whilst others were at Penny Pasture Common on September 6th and Eakring Flash again on September 11th.

Three birds turned up on February 28th, with a male along the roadside between Eakring and Wellow and a pair along the boundary fence at Penny Pasture Common. A further 16 Stonechat appeared throughout March, with Penny Pasture Common providing eight of the month's Stonechat with five (four males and one female) there on 4th, followed by a male on the 6th and a male and female on the 19th. Two males were along roadside hedges near Eakring Field Farm on 29th, whilst roadside hedgerows near Wellow, produced a female on the 14th and a male on the 17th. Records from Eakring Flash included two males (14th) and females on both 15th and 29th.

There were two Autumn records of 1st Winter birds at Eakring Meadows on September 27th and at the southern-end of Eakring Flash briefly on October 9th.

It initially favoured a grass track and rough vegetation near Eakring Flash, but then relocated to the north-eastern corner of Eakring Flash, where it remained for the rest of the day. Stonechat has never before produced an April record here, with late Winter and early Spring records all falling between inclusive dates of February 21-March 29th. The occurrence of this bird came over three weeks later than all previous records, but did follow the exceptional Spring passage of this year.

Two Autumn migrants appeared at Eakring Flash briefly on August 1st, whilst one arrived with a Whinchat at Eakring Flash on September 11th.

It could be very difficult to locate at times, spending much of it's time some days feeding on Ivy berries (something at least two other Ring Ouzels have done here in the past) but did show quite well occasionally.

Best movements of the Autumn were 1 146 moving west and south-west on October 18th and 169 south-west on November 13th.

A relatively ordinary Autumn migration followed later in the year. The first returning birds were a single high over Eakring Flash on September 25th and three at Eakring village on September 28th. A migration peak of 1 107 Redwing west and south-west on October 18th, was part of an October total of approximately 2000 and included 450 south-west on October 16th. Small numbers were recorded moving in November, whilst December counts on the ground were typically very small.

A few migrants were noted on passage during the Autumn, including singles in the pastures area on August 24th and at Penny Pasture Common on August 29th.

There were two September records, when one was at Penny Pasture Common on September 13th and two in trees at Red Hill on September 14th, a date which coincided with Spotted Flycatchers turning up at several other Nottinghamshire sites.

First Autumn migrants were noted on October 9th. 193 flew west on October 19th, before numbers peaked at 1 090 west on October 30th. 148 flew south-west on November 13th.

A population survey on January 19th produced a count of 130 birds, with birds found in varying concentrations. Small numbers of birds were found at seven sites and these presumably join with larger groups on and off throughout the day, away from the breeding season. Peak counts of groups containing more than ten birds, came from six areas within the village, with four of these groups being near farm buildings or the village's older properties.

The breeding bird survey produced a count of 67 pairs. This figure is slightly down on all other breeding surveys.

Autumn migration was pronounced and recorded each month after the first moved through in September. Highest numbers of Chaffinches moved through during October, with a new record day count of 120 through mostly west on October 18th, followed at the end of the month by a further 119 through on October 30th. The October total of 526 Chaffinches, was the highest ever monthly total, just beating the previous monthly record count of 522 back in October 2001. Most movement was westerly and birds generally high.

There was a very poor showing during the Autumn and the only records were one moving west (October 30th) and singles through on November 13th, 16th and 21st.

Four birds on September 1st were the earliest ever here and migrant Siskins were subsequently noted on many September dates. A monthly total of 178, included 35 south (13th) 59 south-east and south-west (14th) and 20 south (21st)

Smaller numbers continued to move through in October, with very small numbers in both November and December.