Spotted Flycatcher

My wife claims not to be a particularly good birder but I disagree with her because in more than three decades of marriage she has spotted some good birds for me and I guess the most memorable one for me is a white stork she spotted in Derwenlas a few years ago whilst we were travelling between Machynlleth and Aberystwyth.
Tonight we were relaxing in our sitting room when she spotted what she described as an 'unusual' bird and it turned out to be a spotted flycatcher which she first saw on a pine tree and then it flew onto our apple tree and then onto a telephone wire where it perched in its characteristic upright pose watching for flying insects. Its not that unusual I suppose but this was the first one of the year for me and I can tell you that I was pleased to see it as it seems they are becoming increasingly uncommon. In past years they have nested in an open fronted nestbox located in an open garage in the holiday home next door to us but I haven't checked if they are back there this year.

The twin conjoined 'woodcrete' house martin's nests which I put up under the eaves of our house a few years ago have been vacated by the house sparrows (who successfully reared young in one of them) and lo and behold house martins have actually taken up residency of both chambers which is good news because it means I can watch their comings and goings from our spare bedroom.

I've been out and about around my home patch today checking red kite nests on behalf of the Welsh Kite Trust and my resident birds are fairing fairly well. All the nests I checked have one or two well developed chicks in them and all seem healthy. I am missing three pairs though and I can only hope that they have found some far flung corner of my patch to nest and rear their young free from any hindrance. I am unlikely to find them now. I'm pleased that most of my established pairs seem to have survived the harsh winter just passed. Our Welsh birds are made of stern stuff!