Flyday 4 June 2010.

Such a coincidence that Phil Slade has some excellent images of the Spotted Flycatcher posted on his blog on the very day that I - along with JB/BT - had a superb day in connection with the 'Flycatchers on a Flyday' in the Forest of Bowland. Always well worth keeping in touch with Phil's blog HERE I can assure you.

The fearless threesome first visited Conder Green where the Little Ringed Plovers aren't getting a mention by anyone and I've not seen any since 24 May, the pool was quiet with just 12 Tufted Duck noted, and the drake Wigeon appears to have found a mate of the same sex, a Reed Warbler was in song just upstream from the A588 road bridge.

So now we're off into the hills where we found 4 House Martins around the bungalow at Christ Church in Abbeystead and JB reported a Spotted Flycatcher here in our absence, a Buzzard was patrolling the skies distant from here. At Stoops Bridge the excellent find of a second pair of Pied Flycatchers on 25 May was updated today by observing the pair obviously feeding young in their natural nest hole, of the other PF's here only the female showed today and was curiously reluctant to enter the nest during our stay for some reason, more excellent news from here was a pair of Spotted Flycatchers found also attending a nest hole, and a Garden Warbler was in song briefly.

In the Marshaw/Tower Lodge area another 2 Spotted Flycatcher seen and I was reliably informed of a pair opposite Tower Lodge....thanks for this Zac and it was good to meet you at last. So a possible/probable six SF pairs seen over that past two visits to this area is excellent news for a bird causing concern on its status. Also noted at least 6 Redpoll, the 'at least' being attributed their extreme mobility, 5 Common Sandpiper included a pair with what appeared to be just one young bird, 3 Redstart, 2 Song Thrush, and singing Blackcap and Mistle Thrush all went to make this upland visit much more than a little worth while.

And finally....

     

A superb action shot of two Black-headed Gulls taking a disliking to each other in view of wildlife photographer Brain Rafferty whose account on this and other recent images and trips can be seen HERE ....Thanks for the pic Brian.