The annual autumn Redstart created a nice sense of fun and friendly gathering in the car park field, but the other species I was hoping for was a Spotted Flycatcher. And sure enough Bert May had one mid afternoon somewhere along the tarmac path to the hide...not to be relocated by me with the 5 minutes I had free before family pickup time.
I passed Brian on the way out and he went on to look better than I could, not long after he called with 1 in the sailing club compound. Then a text shortly after saying 4!!!
I took the whole family back en route home, met with Brian, Marek and Trevor and saw all of them, 3 on the dead Elms, 1 on the bushed behind..... a lovely sight, sadly no chance for a record shot.
Looking back, the time has flown since the last big Spotted Flycatcher day, when 5, possibly 6 were seen on the 31st August 2010. I have seen 4 out of 5 of the last autumn birds, the latest being 27th Sept 2011, I hope quite a few more show up late into September this year. The latest confirmed sighting is 29th September 2000, although there is a mention of a possible in October 1980.
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