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This summer's "Lincolnshire" Spotted Flycatchers will now be on their long-haul migration, heading south to Africa, moving at night and feeding up and resting during the day. Although a number have been found to winter in coastal West Africa, others will continue south to cross the Equator and travel on as far as South Africa (where ringed individuals from Northern Europe have been recorded) and across to Zimbabwe and Zambia. Many birds do not arrive on their wintering grounds until October/November and so the birds wintering furthest south have only December-February to recover before setting out on their 3-month migration journey back to Northern Europe (BWP).
Unlike many long-distance migrants, which put on considerable amounts of fat before travelling long distances in one go, Spotted Flycatchers apparently feed up and then move in short 'hops'. (The Migration Atlas),.....hence the amazing fact that for some Spotted Flycatchers up to six months each year could be spent on migration travelling, with about three months each on their summer grounds (eg. Lincolnshire) and three months on their winter ones (eg. South Africa). Roberts in his "Birds of South Africa" states that the Spotted Flycatcher is usually solitary in its winter areas and that the species is known to use the same winter sites year after year.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that friendly help is something special. In addition to help from many Lincolnshire birders, as mentioned in my recent SpotFly post over on LBC General Lincs Birding, further unexpected but nevertheless welcome and thoughtful assistance appeared from time to time throughout the summer, eg. as follows :
Chris Howes, Grimsthorpe Castle Estate Ranger, who arranged for me to travel (carefully!) in my own car in search of Spotted Flycatchers over extensive Estate roads essentially reserved for cyclists and hikers.
The Brampton village housekeeper (via Dean Nicholson) who took special steps to ensure that I saw a nest with 4 young in the house patio, even though no-one was at home.
The Rev'd 'Andy' Hawes, Vicar at Edenham's St Michael's and All Angels Church who, coming across me watching a pair of Spotted Flycatchers in The Churchyard, specially invited me into his private vicarage garden to view at leisure a second nesting pair.
The daughter of the owner of a smallholding in West Torrington (near Wragby) where I had stopped to enquire about buying fruit who, on learning of my interest in Spotted Flycatchers kept the dog locked up and invited me into their private garden at the rear of the smallholding where "Spotted Flycatchers had recently bred." (Unfortunately, they had 'flown' a day or two earlier).
The home-owners of a property in Potterhanworth, near Lincoln, where the young had just fledged and were being fed in the front garden by the parents, who invited me to view them from their sitting room plus " the kettle would be put on for a cuppa."
I was pleased to make contact, and benefit from email exchanges over the summer, with two Spotted Flycatcher 'authorities' from outside the county :
a. John Clarke, who masterminded the Worcestershire Spotted Flycatcher Project (essentially 2001-2004) and subsequently wrote his charming post-project book "The Spotted What!?" (surprisingly the only monograph on Muscicapa striata). John also sent me some interesting BTO, etc., material which originated from his project.
b. Steve Piotrowski, Chairman of the Suffolk Waveney Bird Club, (which initiated a Spotted Flycatcher Project (2011--) in partnership with the local ecclesiastical authorities re nest boxes in churchyards), has also forwarded me some interesting project material together with the results of the Suffolk Spotted Flycatcher Survey 2007.
........and, finally, to all those Spotted Flycatchers (especially to the ones I saw with my own eyes this summer....and even more especially to the juveniles, only a few short weeks after hatching in late July/early August)) which are now making their lengthy and perilous way south through Europe and beyond towards their wintering area thousands of miles from Lincolnshire in the vast area from West to South Africa......I would say, "Safe journey, and thanks a million for all my 2012 summer memories! As they say, "You have made an old man/ a not so young man very happy .....as he approaches that four score years date-line in March 2013.....and even more importantly, you have helped him recapture his erstwhile youthful and energetic birding passion!"
Freddy
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