Dungeness - warm, dry and sunny, S 3 - For today`s Ted walk we headed down to the estate where there had been a small, overnight fall of Spotted Flycatchers, mostly around the Long Pits where there was up to ten birds with others reported across the peninsula. The Spotted Flycatcher is one of the latest long-distance migrants to reach our shores where its status is one of steep decline and as a result is Red Listed; thirty years ago ten plus would`ve been considered normal, but not so today. However, much rarer and certainly not an annual spring migrant, was a Red-breasted Flycatcher discovered in the moat that performed throughout the morning in willow scrub by a net ride. Brief snatches of song were heard along with a Wren-like rattling call; I presume, as it lacked an orange chin and was singing that it was most likely a 1st year male, unless, of course, females of this species sing? Whatever the outcome it was a smart bird and many thanks to Dave Scott for his superb pic and video clip reproduced below.
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