After finishing my last night shift I decided to take a walk around the pits (DWE). The weather was crap and the light awful and dull,but hey ho! carry on. The usual suspects were on the water and the only waders seen were Lapwing and a single Common Sandpiper. I moved along the hedgeline in the hope of something to snap away at, and the first subject were 2 Reed Warblers opposite me in the waters edge vegetation, they then moved across to the hedgeline to feed and I followed in their direction. I picked out this vocal Wren and then heard a Chiffchaff calling but could not locate it.
I then noticed a bird fly out from the hedgeline catch a fly and return to the hedge. It was then I spied it, a young Spotted Flycatcher. A lovely sight and a new species for me at this site, it was then time to wait and work with patience to get close enough for some images. For over a hour I watched this bird and snapped off some shots, it would disappear to the other side of the hedge for a time,but it would always return to my side as it chased the insects.
Whilst watching the Spotted Flycatcher I was aware of the Chiffchaff still in the vicinity, then I caught sight of it as it moved towards the area where the Flycatcher was, I was able to get some shots of the bird as it fed.
The Chiffchaff then moved along the hedgeline and my attention returned to the Spotted Flycatcher, the weather had improved with sunny spells, I got some shots of it preening and wing stretching, before finally bringing up a pellet of the insect remains.
The Chiffchaff moved back towards me and so I bagged a few more images as it stopped to rest and preen awhile.
After some feather pulling the Chiffchaff moved off and I took a couple more parting images of the Spotted Flycatcher before continuing my walk back to the car and home. Oh! Did I say I was happy with the morning.......indeed I was.
