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Spotted Flycatcher

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Friday 24th July 2026

Local stuff for a change

Wednesday 15th July 2026

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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!!!