A few reports were coming through on social media that there were a few flycatchers about, so it was off to Thumb Lane to see what I could find. Well it didn't take me long to track down 2 Pied Flycatchers which were both calling very loudly in the Sycamores. Also here was a Spotted Flycatcher, Blackcap, a Willow Warbler and the pouring rain!!
In the copse at Thumb Lane were these 2 Pied Flycatchers.
And the second bird.
Here is one of the 2 Pied Flycatchers calling. At 23 seconds you can just about make it out, as it flies into the centre of the tree. Listening to the calls on Xeno-canto I suspect that both birds are juveniles. Click Here
Not a Pied Flycatcher but a Spotted Flycatcher. You can just about make out the spots on its breast.
One of the 2 Pied Flycatchers in the pouring rain.
Moving onto the woods at Avalanche Road and high up in the canopy was a single Spotted Flycatcher, sadly nothing else of note here.
Next stop were the Barns at Reap Lane and even before I got there, there were several Yellow Wagtails flying about in all directions. At first I didn't see anything apart from a single Robin, but as another light shower came down, so a Spotted Flycatcher appeared in the trees just east of the barns. A few seconds later a very vocal Pied Flycatcher popped up in the tree right next to me on the track.
The funny thing was I was so close to it, I couldn't actually see it until I stepped away a good 30 ft or more. Unfortunately and despite my stealth it wasn't me that scared it off, but a couple of walkers who stopped to talk to me. At that point it flew into the tree line and joined the Spotted Flycatcher. At least I managed a half decent shot of the Pied Flycatcher at its new location. Also here a very bright yellow warbler which I believe was a Willow Warbler despite the dark legs.
The barns at Reap Lane
A very bright yellow warbler I suspect this is a Willow Warbler, despite the dark legs.
And the Pied Flycatcher.
From Reap Lane I doubled back to Avalanche Road and as I passed through the wood and into the horse paddock area there were 2 more Pied Flycatchers in the clump of trees to my left here.
Moving on and just before I entered the copse at Thumb Lane there were at least 5 Blackcaps, a Chiffchaff and 2 Common Whitethroats in the scrub area.
Back into the woods and both the Pied Flycatchers were still present.
Birds Recorded: Kestrel, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Sand Martin, House Martin, Swallow, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, 1 Grey Wagtail, 20+ Yellow Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 2 Common Whitethroat, 6 Blackcap, 2 Willow Warbler, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 5 Pied Flycatcher, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch and Goldfinch
Butterflies Recorded: Large White, Green-veined White, Speckled Wood and Red Admiral
Dragonflies and Damselflies Recorded: Emperor Dragonfly (Anax imperator)
Hoverflies Recorded: Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus) and Common Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax)