Pied Flycatcher Project
Pied Flycatcher Project
(Gwybedog brith) Pied Flycatcher
Protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981.
Priority Species under the UK Post-2010 Biodiversity Framework.
link to Outside info page on the Pied Flycatcher
Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleeuca)
The valleys and hillsides of Wales are a good place for breeding Pied Flycatchers in summer.
The pied flycatcher is a small, black-and-white bird of mature woodland with a preference for oak trees. They are slightly smaller than a house sparrow. Males are mostly black above and white below, with a bold white patch on the folded wing. Females have the same basic patterning, but are browner in colour.
It is a summer visitor from April and May onwards, and breeds mainly in western areas of Britain.
It is a summer visitor from April and May onwards, and breeds mainly in western areas of Britain.
Pied flycatchers may be seen sitting patiently on a perch, waiting for a chance to fly out and catch their insect prey in mid air. They also search for insects on tree trunks and on the ground.
The Pied Flycatcher Project will remain Our Flagship Project though we have many other wildlife project initiatives on site!
In the Autumn of 2021 we installed a number of Bird boxes at Narrows Wood.
3 of these boxes were especially made by John to provide Next boxes for the Amber listed Pied Flycatcher.
14 Various Coloured Nest boxes we bought from B&M for small nesting birds.
In April of 2022 a number of nesting Pied Flycatchers arrived at our Woods.
We are happy to announce that 2 out of the 3 Next boxes have now got Nesting Pied Flycatchers in residence. Box 1 & Box 3
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Above a photo of Pied Flycatchers at Narrows Wood
14/04/2022
We currently have confirmed two Breeding Pairs of Pied Flycatchers Nesting at our site so far this season.
We have now installed a Cameras to monitor a few of the Pied Flycatcher nest Boxes,
to keep an eye on how they are doing.
This way We also reduces disturbance of the nest site.
This helps Us monitor the Progress remotely.
In our Car Park one of the Big Oaks has a Natural hollow where a Pair of Nuthatches are in residence nesting in the tree hollow.
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22/05/2022
Recent up date by a fellow woodland owner.
One of the 3 boxes designed for flycatchers is now home to a pair of Great tits.
Box 2 See image Below.
Great tit in Nest box above
A number of the various coloured Nest boxes were being used by Small Blue Tits.
29/04/23 Update
First sighting of Red Starts at our Site so these are also now confirm at our wood.
04/06/2023 Update!
This year we have only one Pair of nesting Pied flycatchers which are nesting in box 3.
Box 2 has become a home for Great tit for the second year!
Below the Male & Female Pied Flycatcher pair at box 3
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Female Pied Flycatcher leaving nest box after feeding chicks above
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Male Pied Flycatcher on top of its nest box above
This year we also have a pair of blue tits nesting in box 8 one of our Basic Bird boxes around site that we put up for small nesting birds like Tits etc.
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Blue Tit Adult returns to feed chicks above
Last year this nest box was being investigated by a male Pied Flycatcher
for a possible nest site.
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Male Pied Flycatcher Investigating a Nest Box Above
We have lost a few of these cheaper various coloured bird boxes due to bad weather during the winter of 2022
We will be replacing these boxes with better boxed in the winter of 2023 ready for next years breading season. We have 8 New Boxes painted and ready to install. These new boxes will be Suitable for Pied Flycatchers & Tits they can also be converted in to open boxes for Robins if need be and are of a much better Design.
This year the Oak Tree hollow in the Oak in the Car park has become Home to a Pair of Blue tits.
Image of Nest Hollow In Oak Above.
Robin Box above
Nothing has nested in the two open Robin boxes over the Past two seasons so we plan to relocate the open boxes to Trees near the woodland edge for next season.
16th February 2024
After the Successful Breeding over the Past two years with our 3 Trial Nest Boxes for the Pied Flycatchers.
We are now expanding on this Success and have installed another 8 Nest boxes at our site !
This will hopefully encourage more Pied flycatchers to Breed at Narrows Wood.
Below some of the New Boxes Pictured
Useful link to other Pied flycatcher Projects
Female Pied Flycatcher near her nest boxes!
2024 Pied Flycatcher update !
This years nesting season is going well at the woodland with 2 confirmed nest boxes being used by the Pied Flycatchers this year one of the new boxes & one of the old boxes are occupied this year.
Male Pied Flycatcher in the Wood
There maybe more nesting in the woodland as many more Pied Flycatchers have been seen in the would this year. We also seen some activity with a male Pied Flycatcher attacking the a Nuthatch at its nest, Something we have never witnessed with Pied Flycatchers before.
Rob zeroing in a Rifle for Pest Control
There may also be an increase in numbers of song birds at the wood including the Pied Flycatchers due to many of the Woodland owners doing Pest control at the woods, Cutting the number of Grey Squirrels down that have been raiding song bird nests.
We hope to help also in our part of the wood as we now have a Licenced pest controller & Friend helping Us manage our part of the Woodland. Rob in exchange for helping Us do work at the Wood has been Given Written Permition to shoot & control pests in our Wood by Us. Rob is also fully BASC Insured as are We and No other Person's have been given Written Permition at our Wood.
Our Private Bird Hide for Monitoring Wildlife at the Wood
We have now installed our Bird Hide so that we can monitor the Nest Boxes at our site without disturbing the Song birds. As well as installing many cameras around our site to monitor the wildlife the Hide will allow Us to watch the Wildlife live at the wood during the breeding season!
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