| Summer migrant arrival/departure dates | ||
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The middle of March and
the first Chiffchaff, signals the somewhat slow start to
migrants arriving in the area. The latter half of April
sees arrivals occurring with an increased regularity and
frequency. Weather conditions are critical in determining migrant arrivals. Birds often meet bad weather on their journey north, resulting in them becoming grounded and subsequently producing late first dates. This certainly applied in 2001, when poor weather conditions saw ten species record their latest ever dates at the time. Much more favourable conditions in 2000, still accounts for eight earliest-ever arrival dates at the time of writing (March 14th 2005) out of the 24 species featured here. |
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| Some species have been remarkably consistant in their arrival dates. The Whitethroat is a good example of this, with arrivals occurring on April 24th no less than three times in five years. | ||
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| The area's best ever period of migrant arrivals took place from April 22-30th 2000 and is represented in the above graph which shows all warbler arrivals in the area. After very few new migrants on the 21st, north-easterly winds and heavy rain brought down a number of migrants including 33 Whitethroats, 29 Willow Warblers, 23 Blackcaps, 13 Lesser Whitethroats, 11 Wheatears, nine Sedge Warblers, three Chiffchaffs, two Whinchats and single Reed Warbler and Grasshopper Warbler. | |
| Summer migrant earliest and latest arrival dates | ||||
| Species | Earliest date(s) | Latest date(s) | Date variation | |
| Hobby | 16/04/07 | 03/05/00 | 18 Days | |
| Turtle Dove | 16/04/00 | 05/05/01 | 19 Days | |
| Swift | 21/04/07 | 08/05/98 | 19 Days | |
| Cuckoo | 19/04/00 | 04/05/06 | 14 Days | |
| Sand Martin | 18/03/07 | 11/04/03 | 26 Days | |
| Swallow | 27/03/05 | 12/04/02 | 17 Days | |
| House Martin | 03/04/04 | 26/04/01 | 23 Days | |
| Tree Pipit | 23/04/98 | 16/05/01 | 23 Days | |
| White Wagtail | 15/03/03 | 26/04/99 | 42 Days | |
| Yellow Wagtail | 02/04/02 | 16/04/04 | 14 Days | |
| Redstart | 10/04/08 | 30/04/01 | 21 Days | |
| Whinchat | 22/04/98 & 00 | 12/05/99 & 06 | 20 Days | |
| Wheatear | 22/03/00 | 24/04/99 | 33 Days | |
| Ring Ouzel | 01/04/03 | 28/04/99 | 27 Days | |
| Grasshopper Warbler | 16/04/06 | 03/05/05 | 16 Days | |
| Reed Warbler | 23/04/00 | 20/05/00 | 26 Days | |
| Sedge Warbler | 17/04/06 | 26/04/98 & 01 | 08 Days | |
| Lesser Whitethroat | 16/04/04 | 30/04/01 | 14 Days | |
| Whitethroat | 15/04/03 | 24/04/98, 99 & 01 | 09 Days | |
| Garden Warbler | 23/04/01 | 02/05/98 | 09 Days | |
| Blackcap | 30/03/02 | 09/04/04 | 10 Days | |
| Chiffchaff | 12/03/00 & 03 | 05/04/06 | 24 Days | |
| Willow Warbler | 03/04/05 | 15/04/06 | 10 Days | |
| Spotted Flycatcher | 08/05/00 | 02/06/02 | 25 Days | |
| Insufficient habitat,
means many migrants are restricted in numbers and large
overnight arrivals are rare. However, migrant warbler
counts, although low in comparison with other sites in
the county, still reflect occurrence trends across
Nottinghamshire as a whole. An overnight arrival of say
ten Willow Warblers here, would probably mean that across
the county a major event had taken place. It is interesting to note in the "migrant arrivals by year table" that there does seem to be a developing trend for birds to arrive earlier. There is evidence to support this theory, even within the eight year period since recording began in back in 1998. |
| Summer migrant arrivals by year
Current earliest arrival dates are highlighted in red - latest in blue |
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| The departure
of most Summer migrant species is a more lengthier
process. A general exception to this rule is the Cuckoo,
a species which disappears almost overnight around
mid-June. Records of adults after the middle of June have
been non-exsistant to date. Juvenile Warblers tend to
linger, sometimes for days before resuming southward
movement and good numbers can at times, build up in a
single area, though there is a considerable turn-over in
the number of different individuals. One of the best sites to watch the movement of many species, is at Red Hill, to the west of Eakring Flash. Here, it is possible to have large numbers of migrant Hirundines, the odd Tree Pipit in with Meadow Pipits overhead and occasional Warblers moving quickly along the hedgerows and in the trees. Good days can also see Wheatear or Redstart around the same area. |
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| Summer migrant earliest and latest departure dates | |||
| Species | Earliest date(s) | Latest date(s) | Date variation |
| Hobby | 13/09/99 | 01/10/00 | 18 Days |
| Turtle Dove | 05/09/99 | 21/09/01 | 16 Days |
| Swift | 31/08/00 | 29/09/01 | 29 Days |
| Cuckoo | 11/05/01 | 16/08/03 | 97 Days |
| Sand Martin | 18/09/98 & 99 | 27/09/01 | 09 Days |
| Swallow | 17/10/98 & 99 | 23/10/00 & 01 | 06 Days |
| House Martin | 03/10/99 | 14/10/00 | 07 Days |
| Tree Pipit | 01/09/01 | 01/10/00 | 30 Days |
| White Wagtail | 05/10/00 | 05/10/00 | N A (one record) |
| Yellow Wagtail | 20/09/98 | 30/09/01 | 10 Days |
| Redstart | 08/09/01 | 10/10/07 | 32 Days |
| Whinchat | 14/09/98 | 01/10/00 | 17 Days |
| Wheatear | 18/08/99 | 17/10/07 | 61 Days |
| Ring Ouzel | 18/09/04 | 17/10/04 | 29 Days |
| Grasshopper Warbler | 17/08/01 | 14/09/01 | 28 Days |
| Reed Warbler | 15/08/00 | 20/09/01 | 36 Days |
| Sedge Warbler | 29/08/00 | 15/09/00 | 17 Days |
| Lesser Whitethroat | 04/09/00 | 02/10/08 | 28 Days |
| Whitethroat | 12/09/98 | 03/10/99 | 21 Days |
| Garden Warbler | 28/08/02 | 11/09/99 | 14 Days |
| Blackcap | 10/10/98 & 99 | 15/10/00 | 05 Days |
| Chiffchaff | 08/10/00 | 20/10/03 | 12 Days |
| Willow Warbler | 06/09/98 | 21/09/98 | 15 Days |
| Spotted Flycatcher | 04/09/99 & 01 | 19/09/98 | 15 Days |
| Particularly favoured areas for migrants are the old hedge at Eakring Flash, Oil Bore Holes in Eakring village, the Kersall Pond area and the north-eastern corner of Penny Pasture Common at Eakring Meadows. All four sites can attract good numbers of migrants and are checked daily during the Autumn. Elder bushes are a particular favourite for several species. All of the Reed Warbler records from Eakring Flash, have come from the Elders situated within the old hedge which runs alongside The Beck. Elders are again particularly favoured at Penny Pasture Common. | ||