Flycatchers?

tigger · #1 (**permalink**) 20-09-2009, 07:37 AM

Hi. I found a new birdwatching spot near to my home in Dorset yesterday (it's right on the edge of Poole harbour) and I "think" I saw two different types of Flycatcher. Both birds were hunting for insects from vantage points, flying out, catching prey and flying back to their perch. The photos are very poor (my camera is excellent for macros, not good for distant birds!) but when you see the larger images I'm hoping you will be able to ID them. Let me know what you think.

Spotted Flycatcher?

Female Pied Flycatcher (the first I've ever seen if it is)?

Many thanks. Jane

Ukwildlifeo · #2 (**permalink**) 20-09-2009, 08:34 AM

The behaviour of both fits the flycatcher profile

The first one certainly looks like a spotted flycatcher, and its behaviour ie sitting out in the open fits aswell.

The second one looks like a juvenile pied flycatcher (looking in my bird guide), a species which Im told tends to be a little more skulking than the other (I was discussing flycatchers with a local recorder yesterday)

Nice finds

tigger · #3 (**permalink**) 20-09-2009, 08:39 AM

Thanks Ukwildlifeo. I was a bit surprised as I thought the flycatchers would have left the country by now, but looking on the Portland observatory website I see there are still some going through there.

We have Spotted Flycatchers nesting in the garden, but the Pied would be a first for me. Exciting if it was a juvenile, as maybe they have bred in the area (or would these be birds from other areas making their way down the country?).

Thanks. Jane

Picidae · #4 (**permalink**) 20-09-2009, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tigger

We have Spotted Flycatchers nesting in the garden, but the Pied would be a first for me. Exciting if it was a juvenile, as maybe they have bred in the area (or would these be birds from other areas making their way down the country?).

Thanks. Jane

Well done on the Pied. I've a feeling you'd have to go a bit further West for breeding pairs (Devon, Cornwall) also Wales and further N. The times (abroad!) when I've observed Pieds, Collared, Semi C's and Spotted all in the same area, I haven't noted a marked difference in behaviour - Spotted Flys and Pieds (obviously) are getting a bit scarcer now in the UK so makes them hard to find and contrary to what many people think, all flycatchers actually spend a great deal of their time in hidden tree cover!

As for the age/sex of the one above, both 1cy and autumn adult males and females can look very similar and Juveniles can't be sexed at all following post juvenal moults. Much of separating autumn adults from 1cy rests on the degree of white to central tertial and inner tail feathers. Females have a narrower covert bar and minimal white on the edge of the central tertial (so pic seems to suggest a male but going further than that might be more tricky on a less than very clear picture)! Try separating the brown morph pied flycatchers from females/non breeding males of other brown flycatchers! Nightmare!

tigger · #5 (**permalink**) 20-09-2009, 11:25 AM

Thanks Picidae. That's really interesting information. So if I've spotted a Pied in Dorset, does that mean it's come from Devon/Cornwall? Why would it come up to Dorset? (not that Dorset isn't a lovely place...) or is it just a non-breeding bird? Confused...

Thanks. Jane

Picidae · #6 (**permalink**) 20-09-2009, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tigger

Thanks Picidae. That's really interesting information. So if I've spotted a Pied in Dorset, does that mean it's come from Devon/Cornwall? Why would it come up to Dorset? (not that Dorset isn't a lovely place...) or is it just a non-breeding bird? Confused...

Thanks. Jane

Hi Jane

Because of their habitat preference: Dense mature upland mixed deciduous woods and ancient oak woods; breeding Pieds are primarily confined to the far West/North West of England/Wales. Dorset is a prime migration spot and Pieds will be seen on Autumn/Spring passage (April-May, Sept-Oct). Chances are that yours is returning from breeding in Cornwall/Devon/Wales and en route to it's winter home in Southern Europe/South Africa - the main population migrates around October but some are moving through already and individuals have been sighted in Kent/Sussex/Suffolk the past few days.