On Friday last week at Loch Gruinart I was lucky enough to see not only a Spotted Flycatcher but its fledgling too! My first sight of it was a flash of grey as the adult bird flew onto an exposed branch where the younger, more spotted bird was sitting quietly waiting to be fed. The adult bird then flew off again, and I was able to watch the juvenile for at least five minutes just sitting quietly on the exposed branch, before it moved further into the tree after a particularly strange-sounding Herring Gull flew over. When the adult reappeared a few minutes later it had a quick look round for the juvenile before flying off again to catch more insects, flying from and to the same perch further along the track. Amazing! My first Flycatcher! Here’s a library photo of the adult...
What a great little bird this is. It’s a long-distance migrant that returns from southern Africa each spring, arriving later in the spring than most other migrants. They breed hidden away in vegetation in woodlands, orchards, farmland and gardens. They’re sparrow-sized but slimmer, grey-brown and streaky, but very appealing with a large eye and distinctive upright posture. As with the one on the reserve here, they’re often seen on a conspicuous perch, from which they flit out to catch an insect, before returning to the same perch. Fantastic to see.
But I say I was ‘lucky’ to see it not only because I was in the right place at the right time (thanks to Mary and Fiona!), but because this is yet another bird species that’s in serious trouble. Red-listed, Spotted Flycatchers almost halved in number between 1995 and 2011 (Breeding Bird Survey 2012), and their long-term decline is even more worrying at 88% between 1970 and 2011 (the State of the UK’s Birds report 2013). 88%! In 40 years! That really is worrying.
So what’s causing this decline? Well, it may be a number of things, including weather-related problems (like drought in the Sahel desert during migration), loss of nest sites and other habitat changes, but it’s still not clear. Which is why the RSPB and other partners are undertaking research to gain a clear understanding of the problems this species faces. We can then start developing a plan of action, which will involve testing the solutions to ensure they will do the job. And in the meantime, our advisory work will encourage good habitat management, to create good feeding and nesting opportunities for Spotted Flycatchers in the various habitats that they occupy.
If you want to find out more about this great bird, have a look at this link, and check out the video of it too – but I hope you’re lucky enough too to see one in real life! http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/s/spottedflycatcher/index.aspx