Female Blackcap

Salmo thymallus · #1 (**permalink**) 07-01-2010, 09:02 PM

Whilst on look out for rats (see my pest control topic in mammals) we had one female Blackcap visit the seed tray today. We've never seen one in the flesh before, let alone in the winter in Yorkshire. Is this normal?

aeshna5 · #2 (**permalink**) 08-01-2010, 05:43 AM

Small numbers of wintering Blackcaps have become quite a regular feature in recent years + many seem to be associated with gardens, where there are often ornamental shrubs bearing berries + supplemenentary feeding.

The interesting fact is that most (if not all) of these wintering birds aren't our breeding songsters but immigrants from central Europe.

Gaza · #3 (**permalink**) 08-01-2010, 07:12 AM

This is interesting, as last year, about this time. We had a pair of Blackcaps staying in our garden ( one male, one female ). But only for a week or so.
Never saw them here again. Then over this Christmas period, we saw that we had a single female Blackcap, in the garden. This time, only for a couple of days. Never been seen since.
I had hoped that they would stay. But maybe they were just passing through, and just used our garden for a stop off.

pitre · #4 (**permalink**) 08-01-2010, 07:49 AM

We had a male with us all last winter, never seen one before ,therefore thrilled

but it left us in the spring but no sign of it this year -so far

thebeard · #5 (**permalink**) 08-01-2010, 10:22 AM

i saw one female in my parents garden on xmas morning, my only ever UK sighting, it hasn't been back, i think they must be quite nomadic, similar to the winter thrushes

parsleythelion · #6 (**permalink**) 08-01-2010, 05:41 PM

i've had one on my hanging birdcake for the last few days. never seen one before. i'm getting all sorts of 'firsts' this winter.

wyevilla · #7 (**permalink**) 08-01-2010, 06:40 PM

Last weekend I saw three blackcaps at the same time in our garden (2 males & 1 female) - a first for me.

We are certainly seeing more each year in our small garden.

iscicles · #8 (**permalink**) 10-01-2010, 05:17 PM

I live in the Northern Lake District, outside Keswick, and have today seen a female Black Cap on the feeders. It took ages to identify as all my books said they are migrants. From looking here and other places on the web, it's evident that the situation has changed! We do get male Black Caps in summer but have never seen a female. She is lovely but very aggressive to all other birds and they can't get near the food.

Mitty · #9 (**permalink**) 10-01-2010, 05:35 PM

Saw a male yesterday, right next to a male bullfinch. They were hopping around an Ivy bush in Southampton Common.

My book says they can be resident in Britain right up to the Scottish border (apart from central Wales) but usually winter in the South-west or the Mediterranean.

aeshna5 · #10 (**permalink**) 10-01-2010, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mitty

Saw a male yesterday, right next to a male bullfinch. They were hopping around an Ivy bush in Southampton Common.

My book says they can be resident in Britain right up to the Scottish border (apart from central Wales) but usually winter in the South-west or the Mediterranean.

Not strictly resident as the wintering + breeding populations are basically different birds. It would be interesting to see if there are any ringing recoveries to prove a bird that is here both summer + winter.