Garth Peacock
Spotted Flycatcher

Archive

Spring Tide at RSPB Snettisham

Saturday 13th April 2024

Things didn't go to plan

Friday 5th April 2024

Fowlmere RSPB Cambs

Wednesday 20th March 2024

Another trip to Norfolk

Tuesday 12th March 2024

Frampton Marsh (again)

Tuesday 5th March 2024

Snettisham RSPB

Tuesday 20th February 2024

A new destination for me

Monday 5th February 2024

A change of plan

Tuesday 30th January 2024

Three hours at Grafham Water

Monday 22nd January 2024

A strange week overall.

Friday 19th January 2024

Norfolk Coast

Tuesday 16th January 2024

New Year - where to go?

Monday 8th January 2024

Coton Cambridgeshire

Wednesday 20th December 2023

Back to Burwell Fen

Saturday 9th December 2023

Short-eared Owls

Monday 4th December 2023

Back to Grafham Water

Wednesday 22nd November 2023

Grafham Water

Thursday 16th November 2023

Fishers Green Essex

Wednesday 15th November 2023

A day in north Norfolk

Monday 13th November 2023

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Tuesday 7th July 2015

My local bird club, the Cambridgeshire Bird Club is carrying out a census on Spotted Flycatcher nests in the county with one in particular, that I have been watching. I visited it a couple of weeks or so ago when both birds were very co-operative. Our co-ordinator inspected the nest the next day and it was empty. When I called back a day or so later, replica watches  there was only one bird on show and it was very nervous so I quickly left.

Last Thursday, while passing, I stopped to see what was going on. One bird showed well and after a short time, became very co-operative again.

I stayed for a while, just to see if there was any further activity. With one bird in my viewfinder, I noticed another flying in so I just pressed the trigger and kept it there for the 30 odd shots that the 7DMK2 will take before the buffer fills up. What a surprise when I looked to see what I had got - a complete session of the birds mating. Here is a short selection.

The male came in with a fly as an offering, mated, and then perched next to the female with it's 'gift' omega replica watches which the female was gladly accepting - and the male flew off with it. Not a gentlemanly thing to do!!

I then left feeling very lucky to have not only witnessed the event, but photographed it too.

The next day, I was sorting out the images on the computer when my wife called to say that a Thrush was in the back garden. We used to have a Song Thrush visiting regularly up to three years ago and since then, no sign of one and not even hearing the song locally so this was a very nice surprise. Camera out and a nice pose after it had exctricated a snail from it's shell and then flew off with it, obviously to feed some young.

It now returns daily, happily reducing the snail population of my garden for which I am very grateful. However, I ask myself how a Song Thrush could be nesting somewhere in the locality with young in the nest and I have never heard it singing before? Now I hear it frequently. Don't think my hearing has deteriorated that much!!!