PIED FLYCATCHERS IS ONE OF OUR EARLIER RETURNING TRANS-SAHARAN MIGRANTS and is back on its territory in East Lancashire by mid April. I spent a few hours over the last couple of days watching one deliver its jaunty song in between scrapping with every other bird that came anywhere near its chosen nest box. Even a poor little Goldcrest was sent on its way. Of course Great Tits came in for the worst treatment and it may come as a surprise that such a cute little bird is so feisty when it comes to protecting its chosen nest site. The pretty wooded valleys of Bowland are one of its strongholds and, once you learn its song, Pied Flycatchers are easy to find in early spring. However, when the leafy canopy of the woodland develops they become much more difficult to track down.