European Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca)

OTHER NAMES: Pied Flycatcher

Latin Etymology: Ficedula (a small fig eating bird in Latin) hypoleuca ("white beneath")

Male European Pied Flycatcher (subspecies F. n. hypoleuca) at Bassenthrwaite Lake, Cumbria - June 2022

Featured Subspecies: Ficedula hypoleuca hypoleuca

Weight: 10-15g  /  Length: 13cm  /  Wingspan: 22cm

UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern 

The Pied Flycatcher is one of the species in the UK that is mostly limited to the West and North of the UK, it generally prefers old oak-woodland.  This means it tends to be mostly found in Wales, Northern England and Scotland.  However, as a migrant, it can be theoretically seen on passage anywhere, as was the case with this female/juvenile bird seen in the gardens of Alexandra Palace.  The adult male is much more distinctive - being a bold black and white species, and as such is probably a bit easier to pick out when you see them.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Muscicapidae
Genus: Ficedula
Subspecies: F. h. hypoleuca, F. h. iberiae, S. h. sibirica

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Locally common in the North and West as a Summer Breeding Migrant (17,000-20,000 pairs). 

 - Single female/juvenile bird seen on passage at Alexandra Palace (September 2015), .

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Lesser Whitethroat (Sylvia curruca)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Sylvia ("woodland sprite") curruca (bird mentioned by Juvenal)

Adult Lesser Whitethroats (subspecies S. c. curruca) at Alexandra Palace, London - September 2015

Featured Subspecies: Sylvia curruca curruca

Weight: 12g  /  Length: 13cm  /  Wingspan: 18cm

UK GREEN LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Lesser Whitethroat is perhaps the most difficult to see species relative to how common it is - it is perhaps the most skulking of the widespread warblers of the UK, much easier to hear than it is to see with it's vaguely belligerent harsh sounding repeated "jut" sounds.   It also suffers from being similar to the related common whitethroat, there are some features which can be used to separate it out - dark coloured legs, a pale "milky" breast (rather than pinkish), a dark mask (rather than a uniformly grey head) and a cool brown back (rather than warm russet).  I'd actually seen this species a couple of times prior to finally managing to photograph it, generally glimpses before vanishing into a thicket. However, while in Alexandra Park in Autumn I ended up getting easily identifiable views on several occasions throughout the morning - this could tie into the fact that as their migration approaches they apparently are less skulking.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Sylvdiidae
Genus: Sylvia
Subspecies: S. c. curruca, S. c. blythi

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Widespread but secretive breeding Summer migrant (74,000 birds) 

 - Seen in late Summer at Rutland Water and Alexandra Palace, heard in various other locations

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Common Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)

OTHER NAMES: Redstart

Latin Etymology: Phoenicurus ("crimson tailed") phoenicurus ("crimson tailed")

Adult male Common Redstart (subspecies P. p. phoenicurus) at  Cold Ashby, Northants - April 2022

Featured Subspecies: Phoenicurus phoenicurus phoenicurus

Weight: 11-23g  /  Length: 13-14.5cm  /  Wingspan: 23-26cm

UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Generally known just as the "Redstart" in the UK (the Black Redstart being only a modern coloniser after all) this is a species with a generally westerly bias to it's range in the UK, associating more with birch and oak woodland that most British woodland birds.  However, there are exceptions and there are also sites in the South East in which it can be found such as Thursley common.  It has a lot of overlap with the Robin in it's diet and behaviour, but unlike that species is a Summer migrant, and thus can also be found on passage, sometimes in small numbers together - such as the three females I saw together in the grounds of Alexandra Palace in September 2015.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Muscicapidae
Genus: Phoenicurus
Subspecies: P. p. phoenicurus, P. p. samamisicus

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A local but fairly numerous Summer breeding migrant (100,000 pairs)

 - Birds seen on breeding territories at Derwent Water and Thursley Commom, and the park surrounding Alexandra Palace on passage

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .