A Welcome Edition To The Garden List. 10th Sept 2008.

Spotted Flycatcher

At this time of year it's always possible that something different might turn up in the garden, birds migrating south often get caught up in bad weather and also need to refuel and rest before continuing their journey. Many migrate at night to avoid predation and also avoid overheating that could result in the energy expended to fly such long distances. This also enables them to feed during the daylight hours and refuel for the night.

The first real signs of passage migration through the garden came today when a Chiffchaff suddenly appeared right in front of the window flitting around the Honeysuckle bush, it was feeding on small insects and stayed long enough for me to get a small video clip. I tried to find it through my binoculars when it flew off and noticed a small brown bird sitting on the phone lines, I took a closer look and realised it was a Spotted Flycatcher. As I watched it picking flies and insects out of the air I soon realised it wasn't alone as another one joined it on the wires, I rushed for my camera to get a few record shots from the bedroom window and successfully took a few before heading outside for a closer view. They seemed quite oblivious to me and continued feeding, both birds looked in good healthy condition and took full advantage of a large amount of insect life that was on offer and often plucked a meal out of the air without moving from their perch. A rather tatty and drab Chiffchaff appeared in a nearby Laurel bush followed shortly by another, I watched them flitting their way up the bush taking insects as they went meeting a Willow Warbler on the way. Turning my attention back to the Flycatchers I managed to get a few video clips of them through my scope with varying results, as I watched them I noticed another 2 appear in the same tree and they began catching insect simultaneously, I couldn't believe I was now watching 4 Spotted Flycatchers in the garden. I watched them up until 5:40pm when as quickly as they had appeared they vanished in to thin air. A very welcome edition to the garden list and with suitable habitat here one that I hope might be encouraged to nest here in the future.

Chiffchaff Video

Spotted Flycatcher Video

Spotted Flycatcher