With the general drop in wildfowl numbers at sites across the area for several years now, a flock of 48 Wigeon flying around the Red Hill area on the 4th, was an exceptional record. The birds were favouring an area of water on Blisthorpe Pit Top, but 35 were again noted the following day. 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. There were small numbers of Teal at either Eakring Flash or Penny Pasture Common on and off throughout the month, the first Gadwall (four) returned on 16th and a Tufted Duck was at Eakring Flash on 26th. Two Shelduck were present on 25th. The only Goosander records all concerned a pair at Eakring Flash from 4-6th, 12th and 17th.

Water Rail remained hard to find all month, with one giving itself away by calling constantly at Eakring STW on 12th, being the first. Another was then at Eakring Flash from 19-26th. Pretty much in accordance with first dates recorded annually since 1998, Coot returned to the area during January, with one at Eakring Flash for a day (20th) and then four there on 26th, although these also remained for just a single day. Single Common Buzzards were noted at either Hare Hill Wood or Lound Wood on four dates, with two in the area on the 25th. A Peregrine south over Eakring Flash (13th) was certainly a male on size, but because of the poor light and weather conditions, it's age could not be accurately determined. Common Snipe counts rose from just four at Eakring Meadows on 1st, to a notable 19 on 19th, but there was no sign of any Jack Snipe. 97 Lapwing flew south-west (3rd) whilst Golden Plover continued their poorest Winter showing here and the only records concerned odd singles or just the occasional calls.

The highlight of January was without doubt, the adult Iceland Gull at Eakring Flash on 5th in fields with 36 Herring Gull,till they all flew off south-west towards Bilsthorpe Tip. This represented only the third record of Iceland Gull here, the last being another adult seen on December 31st 2000 and January 1st 2001. Peak gull counts during the month included 68 Common Gull at Eakring Flash on 19th, 31 Great Black-backed Gull on 12th and 115 Herring Gull at Tug Bridge Farm on the 20th.

Other sightings included a flock of 80 Sky Lark in stubble fields at Red Hill (3rd) with 40 Yellowhammer in the same general area, a Brambling at High Trees (Eakring village) on 12th provided a rare Winter record. Eakring village produced a very surprising 130 House Sparrow during a species population survey (19th) A minimum of 200 Fieldfare were at Park Farm on 1st, with 273 Fieldfare and 30 Redwing at Tug Bridge Farm on 16th. 105 Starling south-east on 19th, was another unusual record, given the time of year.

Single Water Rail were at Eakring Flash on several dates including 2nd, 10th and 13th, but there was another found in the unusual location of Penny Pasture Common on 28th, which was only the second Water Rail record away from Eakring Flash.

Common Buzzard sightings included single birds on several dates, one of which was regularly around Tug Bridge Farm. Two were at Hare Hill Wood on 7th, at Red Hill on 13th, with four in the Tug Bridge Farm and Kneesall Road area on 9th. A male Peregrine was over Eakring Meadows briefly on 2nd, before drifting off towards Kersall. A Long-eared Owl was present in the same roost used by two birds early last year near Kersall from 9th-22nd and a Barn Owl was seen hunting set-aside strips near Eakring Field Farm on 17th.

Stonechats had been noted arriving at some south-coast sites during the last week of February, but it was still a great surprise when three birds turned up on the 28th, with a male along the roadside between Eakring and Wellow and a pair along the boundary fence at Penny Pasture Common. These were the first February records at Eakring since 2001. Other signs that some birds were beginning to move were 74 Starling east over Eakring Flash (13th) 63 Fieldfare north-west and north-east (17th) and then two Brambling at Eakring Flash briefly and just minutes before a flock of 22 flew high north on 28th.

Six out of seven of the area's Whooper Swan records have all come in March, so it was no surprise when a flock of ten flew west over Eakring Flash on the afternoon of the 26th. A pair of Shelduck were present at Eakring Flash on numerous dates, with four noted (6th) and three on 29th. Formerly common ducks (but both considerably rarer in recent years) included single drake Pochard on 16th and 19th and a Tufted Duck present on 21st. A drake Wigeon at Eakring Flash (26th) was the latest ever here in Spring. The only Goosander noted were a pair at Eakring Flash on 21st, but the rarest duck was the first ever Red-breasted Merganser, seen coming in from the north and circling Eakring Flash a couple of times before heading off west at 06:20h on March 29th.

Raptors included numerous sightings of Common Buzzard, with counts of more than two birds being four (3rd) but definite passage occurred on the 14th, with five probable migrants coming over from the south-west and continuing north and north-east. A male Peregrine was on pylons around Tug Bridge Farm on 15th and a female Merlin flew west over Eakring Flash and Red Hill on 29th.

A late Water Rail was calling at Eakring Flash on both the 6th and 26th and a single Long-eared Owl was present all month in the now traditional daytime roost near Kersall, whilst waders included 18 Common Snipe at Eakring Meadows (15th) rising to at least 30 birds on 29th. Two Jack Snipe were present with Common Snipe on 29th and a very large flock of 950 Golden Plover were over Red Hill on 27th.

The fore-runners of March's record number of Stonechat actually began at the end of the previous month, when three birds arrived on February 28th. A further 16 Stonechats continued to appear throughout the whole of March, with the final total for this Spring being 19 birds. When you consider that there had never been any more than three Stonechat in a single Spring here before, then the scale of this passage needs little imagination. Penny Pasture Common provided 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. The first Wheatear of the Spring, was a male briefly at Eakring Field Farm on 30th.

Number of Wintering thrushes continued to be very low and there were no large build-ups of Fieldfare. The best Fieldfare count, was of 53 moving north-east on 24th. Visible migration watches produced the best Meadow Pipit count since 2001, with 244 north-west on 27th. Otherwise, all other species produced only meagre totals although 124 Starling east on 26th was more notable. Sand Martin arrived with two north-west over Hare Hill Wood (27th) followed by a single north-west on 30th. The first Chiffchaffs included two in Eakring village on 27th, four at High Trees on 29th and a single at Eakring Meadows on 31st. A single Brambling was with a mixed flock of finches at Park Farm (6th) which had contained 100+ Linnet the previous day. Three Common Crossbill flew north over Eakring Flash on 26th.

At least one Nuthatch was present at Hare Hill Wood from 14th onwards, just part of what was a most productive month.

It was a poor month for wildfowl, with six Shelduck at Eakring Flash on 3rd and a pair of Teal remaining in the area until the 24th, being the only notable records.

The opening day of April produced the area's tenth Red Kite, when an immature flew west over Lound Wood at 07:50h. April is clearly a peak month for Red Kites here, with a total of four records to date. Obviously many raptors pass through the area during April and this was evident by the numbers of Common Buzzards that were noted. With at least four regular birds in the area, coupled with birds often ranging from the Rufford, Kirklington and Wellow areas, birds were recorded daily throughout. Definite migrant Common Buzzards included groups of seven high south-east (27th) followed a few days later by three high south-east (29th) A major surprise was the female Hen Harrier quartering fields in the Red Hill area at 07:35h for around five minutes, before eventually drifting west and out of view 27th. This was almost certainly the bird which was recorded at Bolsover and then Carburton, before being seen here and then a day or so later over Mansfield Woodhouse. A female Peregrine was over Eakring Flash on 5th, with another over Penny Pasture Common on 12th.

A Curlew north over Red Hill on 3rd was one of few wader records. Four Whimbrel flew west over Eakring Flash on 24th, with another high west over Eakring Flash on 27th were the only others. The two regular Long-eared Owls were again in their usual roost until the 1st at least, but a Barn Owl showed stunningly well most evenings during the latter part of the month, as it presumably fed young.

Three Tree Pipit in a Spring here is unheard of, so it was pleasing that singles were noted on three dates, including moving north-west (17th) at Penny Pasture Common (19th) at Eakring Flash before moving off north-west (23rd) There was no strong Meadow Pipit movement this April, but White Wagtails were present in horse paddocks at Eakring on c4th and at Penny Pasture Common on 16th. A pair of Grey Wagtail were at the latter site on 20th and were seen the next day at Tug Bridge Farm.

Thrush counts were relatively unspectacular. 26 Redwing at Eakring Meadows (2nd) was the best count, with the last bird of the Spring being at Penny Pasture Common for a few days till the 21st. The best of the Fieldfare counts were different groups totalling 165 in the Red Hill area 17th, with 180 present on 22nd. Other smaller Fieldfare groups were noted throughout the month, either leaving high to the north-east at dusk, but also at Tug Bridge Farm and Penny Pasture Common. A group of 12 Fieldfare at Penny Pasture Common also held a female Ring Ouzel which remained from 19-23rd. 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.

A male Redstart was in the Sallow scrub along the western-edge of Eakring Flash (10th) with another at Eakring Flash on 27th, but both were extremely elusive most of the time. The only Whinchat of the month was at Eakring Flash mid-morning of the 27th, but did'nt stay for long before moving off. Wheatear records included single males in fields at Park Farm (2nd) at Tug Bridge Farm (14th) and in fields at Kersall (17th) Four arrived at two sites on the 10th, with three males in fields at Park Farm and a female at Red Hill. A Stonechat which showed many characteristics of the continental race rubicola, was present at Eakring Flash from early morning and remained until dusk on 23rd. 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 does follow an exceptional Spring passage which involved a total of 19 birds.

Although much of the sky was completely devoid of any notable visible migration for much of the time, there were still some occasional highlights. An unexpected record concerned two Hawfinch that flew north towards Lound Wood on April 6th, which was the first since August 1999. Another rarity of recent years has been Corn Bunting, so it was especially pleasing when one flew east over Eakring Flash on 27th (the first for five years)

First dates for other Summer migrants included Swallow 4th, Blackcap 7th, Willow Warbler 10th, Yellow Wagtail 17th, Grasshopper Warbler, Whitethroat, House Martin and Turtle Dove 21st, Lesser Whitethroat 22nd, Sedge Warbler 24th, Swift 27th and Garden Warbler 30th. There were no records of Cuckoo or Hobby this month.