The Lincolnshire Bird Club

I am lucky enough to have had a couple of Spotted Flycatchers in my garden for the past few weeks but unlucky in that they are excellent Butterfy catchers! I manage my garden for insects - especially Butterflies and Bees. The Flycatchers hunt from the trees surrounding my little meadow and flower patches and can easily see any Butterfly movement. So Meadow Browns, Ringlets and Small Tortoiseshells have all fallen to those snapping bills - and there are not many Butterflies this year!
Not sure which I prefer? - the Flycatchers probably! Skews my daily Garden Butterfly Survey results though.

On the balance of things, Ed, I think you are right. There are a few more Meadow Browns, Ringlets and Small Tortoisehells than Spotted Flycatchers!

Yesterday I tractor mowed 5 LWT small meadows ( total c 20 acres) some with wild flowers
yet I saw very few butterflies or bees , by far the most common species was ringlet and there
are plenty of tall grass species in the meadows, the outer margins of the meadows are left uncut
as refuge areas.

regards John