May 25th

More spotted flycatchers today. There were two at the top of Kilminning in the same place as the three eleven days ago. They were keeping close together and making a circuit around the tops of the sycamores, oaks and pines, only occasionally coming out into the open. Much more like a breeding pair than a couple of migrants. But then as I entertained this theory a third flew over towards the golf course. And then later there was a fourth down at the bottom of Kilminning. I won’t completely give up on the hope of a breeding pair: the top of Kilminning is just fine for them and 40 years ago I would be expecting a pair to breed somewhere like this every year. But it is probably just an odd year when the winds have pushed the westerly birds our way. I suspect this is how colonisation events happen though: after all the yellow wagtails weren’t here until five years ago and reappeared after a good spring when a couple of pairs arrived simultaneously on passage. Fingers crossed.

One of the spotted flycatchers at the top of Kilminning

And another at the bottom.