Can You Spot the Flycatcher?:

If you take a stroll past Threave house you are quite likely to 'spot' one of these - a juvenile spotted flycatcher. They nested behind down spout of the guttering on Threave House. Luckily the nest was not washed away with all the rain that we have had in recent weeks. The chicks have now fledged and can be seen practising their flycatching skills above the lawn behind the house. At this stage they are sometimes also still being fed by the adults. 

The spotted flycatcher is a species of conservation concern within the UK as its numbers have dropped so dramatically in recent years. This is due to a number of factors including a decrease in insect populations caused by pollution and insecticides.