Don't you hate it when this happens.

In an attempt to prevent people getting bored with this blog I thought I'd better say straight away that again this post includes references to Spotted Flycatchers so if you wish you can leave this blog now.In my defence this time it was not by design I stumbled on some by chance.

Having stayed in on Wednesday and as soon as I completed my chores yesterday morning I had a look round some local areas to see what was about.The quick answer is absolutely nothing so after lunch as there were no birds about I thought I'd take out my landscape camera down to the NT property at Baddesley Clinton which is only a couple of miles away.The birding camera/lens was left at home.Oh Dear!!!!!

Got some shots of the church and of the moated Elizabethan manor house.

Because there was some scaffolding round parts of the house I walked round to the northern side to see if I could get some more shots which hid the scaffolding when my eye caught a small bird that darted over the moat caught a fly and landed in small tree.No way I thought surely not a Spotted Flycatcher!!!! It was and there were two of them that were using this small tree close to the path as their base for catching flies.They were no more than 4 metres away and were not bothered by my presence.I thought these chaps were scarce this year but I've been lucky enough to see nine of them in four different locations all in Warks/West Mid.

Initially I was not bothered by not having my birding camera with me because I've got loads of shots of them this year but when a pair of Blackcaps landed in the same tree and two juvenile Nuthatches were in another nearby tree I cracked and decided to race back home to get my camera.

There is always trouble when need to have a speedy journey and my journey was no different.When you leave this place you have to go out via the shop which was empty when I arrived earlier but now it was full of members of the Very Slow Moving Old Ladies club who must be having a day out here.When I finally got out the drive home was OK but when I swept into my drive one of my next door neighbours insisted I looked at the plants she'd just put in.The drive back was pretty quick and I was chuffed to find a parking spot in the busy car park right by the entrance but when I got out the car I saw the "Disabled" sign.Bugger Bugger !!!!

I finally got back to the small tree about half an hour after I had left but I was completely knackered and much worse there was no sign of any birds.Bugger Bugger !!!!! I think this young Song Thrush felt sorry for me because it came over to try and cheer me up.

As I was knackered I was happy to plonk myself down and wait to see if they turned up again.I eventually found them but they were now high up in the taller trees.After quite a long wait one did come down to the smaller tree but it didn't hang around long.I was chuffed to see these chaps again because seeing them here was a big surprise and any non churchyard pics of them are rare for me.