The Spotted Flycatcher, silent aerial acrobat of the Var woods
With its slender silhouette and characteristically upright stance on an exposed branch, the Spotted Flycatcher is a master of aerial insect hunts in coastal woods.
My field observations in the Var — sites, months and context
Photographed perched in cool shade on the slopes of Carqueiranne and adjacent coastal maritime pine groves.
Commented in situ photo gallery
1 telephoto photographs taken in the Var department (Rule 11)
Recognizing the species on my photos — visible details
Slender 14-15 cm flycatcher. Muted grey-brown upperparts with distinctly streaked crown and breast, whitish throat and large keen dark eyes.
Coastal pine woods, open cork oak woodland, shaded orchards and gardens.
Flies, hoverflies, wasps, small moths and airborne beetles caught on swift sallies.
Photographing the species: field experience
Spotted flycatchers frequently return to the exact same perch after each aerial foray, making them an ideal subject for anticipatory focus and framing.
- •Specializes in flycatching sallies: swooping out from an exposed vantage point with buoyant fluttery wingbeats, snapping up insects mid-air before returning to the perch.
- •A trans-Saharan long-distance migrant that travels as far as southern Africa for the northern winter.
- •Features distinctive forehead and breast striations that differentiate it from other drab flycatchers.
