The Lincolnshire Bird Club

A few grounded migrants between Stonebridge and Pye's Hall made a welcome change after a poor week in which the only highlights were a Little Owl on 4th and a Spoonbill north on 7th. On the dunes today were singles of Pied Flycatcher, Common Redstart, Yellow Wagtail, Goldcrest, Willow Warbler, Common Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat. 230 Swallows flew north during the morning and drew the attentions of two marauding Hobbies, although I didn't see any actual kills. Other raptors were 5 Kestrels, 2 Peregrines, a Merlin and an Osprey, the last watched well as it ate a fish on a post near the tide-line.

SL with Geoff Williams, Pete Haywood and Chris Atkin.

Stephen,

Yet another Pied Flycatcher and yet another absent Spotted Flycatcher. Would you say that is unusual as we enter the second week of September?

Freddy

I would say that Pied Fly must have had a good breeding season compared to recent years.
Just to add to Steve's report a Buzzard flew northwest low across the beach after I'd left him.

Freddy,

Not many things do seem to be usual this year. You say yet another Pied Flycatcher, and although there have been a few Pieds this autumn, as you know numbers of both flycatcher species hardly compare to those of a few years ago. I have looked up the past Donna Nook records and these show some interesting, but not always consistent trends. Especially during the period covering 1963 to 1985, Spotteds have varied greatly from year to year. In some autumns, birds have occurred almost daily between mainly late August and early October, but in a few autumns, notably 1967, 1970, 1974, 1975, 1978 and 1982, fewer than ten individuals have been seen. In some years, there have been good movements during August, then a lull in early September, followed by a repeat of regular numbers in the second half of September. Most autumn counts concern 1-3 birds, occasionally 4-5 in a day. In some years, there were larger numbers recorded in spring, and in 1970 at least 20 arrived during a shower of rain on 25th May. The latest sighting was of one on 21st October 1977.

Pied Flycatchers were more reliable, but could also be quite variable during the same period. Again most records were between late August and early October and often involved birds in double figures. Up to 25 were noted on many dates, and up to 40 were seen on several days and often in assosciation with good numbers of Garden Warblers and Redstarts. One exceptional arrival involved 150 birds on 30th August 1974. The latest record was of one on 4th November 1982. Spring birds, although only in ones and twos, were also more regular until the early 1980s.

So, going back to the Spotted Flycatchers, hopefully we could get some of the late September birds as in earlier years. These would seem to be either later migrating juveniles or birds originating from different breeding areas to those birds occurring earlier in the autumn.

Steve.

Also seen at Donna Nook today:

2 Marsh Harrier (inc an adult male)
1 Common Buzzard
2 Greenshank
1 Whimbrel

+ the Osprey was still sat out on the beach to 15.30 at least

regards

Chris

Steve,

Many thanks for your comprehensive and interesting review of the Spotted Flycatcher/Pied Flycatcher records at Donna Nook over the years with accompanying comparative comments.

You state that Pied Flycatchers have been "more reliable" at Donna Nook than Spotted Flycatchers, although quite variable over the years. However, it might be that we are not comparing like with like. Could it be that in the main, 'British' Spotted Flycatchers have a different migration compass direction pattern from Pied Flycatchers in the autumn? The literature tells us that northern British Spotted Flycatchers move down the West coast of Britain before crossing to northern France from Cornwall. Is it not likely that, say, Yorkshire birds and our Midlands birds migrate South by inland routes and cross the Channel from Dorset eastwards (especially so re the Porland Bill autumn records in 'normal' years)? This would also be borne out, presumably, by the fact that none of our August/September inland Lincs groups, which moved on some time ago, has been subsequently reported eg. at Gibraltar Point. I know that Spotted Flycatchers migrate at night but one would expect them to spend a day or two feeding up at coastal locations before attempting a sea crossing. The odd one/very odd one this autumn reported at Lincs coastal locations has been the exception to this suggested movement pattern....whereas 'British' Pied Flycatchers may regularly move through Lincs coastal sites.

Further, the larger numbers of Spotted Flycatchers reported from Lincs coastal sites over the years might not be 'British' birds at all but migrating 'Scandinavian' Spotted Flycatchers, moved towards the eastern British coastline by inclement weather over the near Continent, thus preventing their taking a traditional direct North to South route to Iberia and beyond.

I see from recent Spotted Flycatcher LBC records :

a. Donna Nook - 10 on 5 Sep 09; 21 on 7 Sep 10

b. Gibraltar Point - 16 on 29 Aug 09; 14 on 4 Sep 09; 39 on 5 Sep 09; 9 on 8 Sep 10

c. Grainthorpe Haven - 8 : 6-8 Sep 10

d. Pye's Hall - 13 on 15 Sep 10.

Over the last two weeks or so we have had comparatively settled weather which has provided virtually nil falls on the Lincs East coast. It would be interesting to see a correlation of inclement weather over the near Continent (including with a NE/E wind blowing) with the autumn falls of Spotted Flycatchers at our Lincs coastal sites. Perhaps such a weather pattern could still develop this autumn, although it's getting late and by now most of the 'Scandinavian' Spotted Flycatchers have probably already flown South.

Anyway, although we may well have seen the last, or nearly the last, of inland Lincs Spotted Flycatchers this autumn, I would certainly love to feast my eyes on any Spotted Flycatcher double digit concentration (despite the double digit £ petrol cost) as reported from any of our coastal locations......before Muscicapa striata have finally ALL gone.

Freddy