The two Spotted Flycatcher nest sites are a good news and bad news story, bad news first, the pair near Alderbottom hatched four young and were feeding well on the 5th of August, when checked on the 8th of August the nest was hanging out of the tree. The adults were still in the area but no sign of young, I think they were the victim of very heavy rain which washed the nest from the tree probably 2/3 days before they fledged.

The second nest had five young all of which fledged around the 12th August, all the young were in the same area on Friday. Spent some time today watching from a hide, I could only see three young all of which were healthy, it is possible there was another 1/2 out of sight as the adults kept flying to the same point with food and returned with empty beaks. There was a lot of crane fly about which seamed to be the most popular food source.

With the weather report for the next week being good, with luck they will at least have a chance to head south ?.