Pied Flycatcher in Sussex?

[Stoggler]

Hi

Quick question - do we ever get pied flycatchers in Sussex.

Reason for asking is that on Saturday I got the briefest of looks at a bird in a tree before it was scared off by a passing cyclist. All I really saw was that it was a small passerine with a black head with a small white spot on its head. No more than that, so not confident of the ID and apart from the pied wagtail (which I'm familiar with) I can't think what else it could have been. Also, I note that in field guides, the distribution maps do not show pied flycatchers in our part of the country.

Thanks

[joannec]

'Fairly common passage migrant and scarce breeder' here in Sussex and now is the right time of year for the spring migrants soooooooo.....could have been.:flyaway:

[Stoggler]

Thanks Joanne

Wish I'd had a chance to see more of it - damn those other pesky humans ruining a possible new bird for me! ;)

[Simon Jeffs]

There was something making some very strange calls in a bush at Arlington Reservoir on Sunday and the only glimpse I got of the secretive beastie was of a small black-and-white bird. Wasn't a pied wagtail, far too small for a magpie chick, possibly a pied flycatcher? I'll have to return for another look....

Simon

[Stoggler]

Good luck Simon - fingers crossed that it is a flycatcher