Spotted Flycatcher 2

Spotted flycatcher   Muscicapa striata

Spotted Flycatcher 02

Pied Flycatcher 58

Pied flycatcher  Ficedula hypoceleuca

The above 2 photos were taken in very low light conditions requiring 1/15th second at F8 and 320ASA.  Pied Flycatchers typically nest in dense oak woodland here in the Forest of Dean, and as a result the white areas of the bird can pick up a green hue due to light reflection off the foliage (typically in the shadier areas of white).  About 4 in 5 images are binned as a result of opting for these higher quality images compared to using higher ASA or flash.

Pied Flycatcher 62

Pied Flycatcher 71 crop

  Pied Flycatcher 49

Pied Flycatcher 39

Pied Flycatcher 76

Pied flycatchers typically arrive at Nagshead in the Forest of Dean in mid April.  This year (2007) numbers seem to be down at Nagshead with no nesters having chosen a photogenic nest box.  The top photo demonstrates that pied flycatchers are just as much at home without nest boxes.  This nest photo is a far superior one of this bird in my opinion.  More of these birds are being found in natural holes this year, and all are outside of Nagshead.   I wish that nest boxes, as well as ringing (this bird suffers terribly with ringing), could be reduced.  In the many decades this practice has been continuing in the Forest of Dean and elsewhere, ornithologists still seem to know very little about this species and its requirement to thrive.  The decline in numbers where nest boxes occur may just be a direct result of poor handling during the trauma of ringing and continual disturbance some birds get with overzealous monitoring. I predict a high mortality of PFs at Nagshead this year due to this "official" disturbance.

Pied Flycatcher 67

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