Spotted
Flycatcher |
Pied
Flycatcher |
SPOTTED
FLYCATCHER
Muscicapa striata.
Fairly uncommon migrant breeder/passage visitor.
First noted in the Bolton Abbey area on 6th May, with the last of the year at Fewston Reservoir on 17th September. Two pairs nested at Denton and two pairs were predated at Beamsley. Breeding was also suspected at Dob Park Bridge, Lindley Wood Reservoir and the Bolton Abbey estate, whilst one was noted singing at Thruscross Reservoir in early June.
Other than singles at St Ives, Luddenden Dean and Redshaw Hall, it was thought that the rest of the sightings referred to return passage birds, with various singles recorded at Paul Clough, Baildon, Denholme Clough, John o’Gaunt’s Reservoir, Thornton Moor Reservoir and Kex Gill. One of the birds at the latter site was caught and ringed on 15th August.
PIED
FLYCATCHER
Ficedula hypoleuca.
Common migrant breeder/ uncommon on passage.
Once again, Strid Woods provided the majority of the records, with adults noted feeding young in many nest boxes. In Dob Park Wood four nests produced nine young, but in nearby Folly Hall Wood it was described as a poor breeding season. At Low Snowden, five nests produced a total of seven young.
In other areas, singing birds were noted with no suspicion of breeding. These consisted of Hirst Wood (the year’s first sighting on 22nd April), Nell Bank, Middleton Woods and Fewston Reservoir.
Passage birds rarely figure in the records, so four sightings in autumn are noteworthy. One was at Thornton Moor Reservoir on 22nd August, and, in September, birds were at Paul Clough on 9th and Doe Park Reservoir on 12th and 23rd.