All your eggs in two baskets?

It was with some surprise that Phil Littler, a BTO ringer in Norfolk, had a call from a local gamekeeper telling him of a "close nesting" pair of Spotted Flycatchers. What he found were two nests right next to each other, both of which had been occupied.



The left-hand nest had been built and eggs laid, with the adjoining nest built soon after, later occupied by a second female. By the time Phil had got to the nests, chicks from the first had already fledged, but the second nest was occupied by large young. Unfortunately the keeper hadn't realised how interesting this was and noted whether both nests were being serviced by the male at the same time.

What is presumably the first female is now sat on a another nest just a few feet away, and this does beg the question as to whether Spot Flys can be polygamous.

Thanks to Phil for letting us know about this and for the photo.