Bird ID , thx!

Magicboots · #1 (**permalink**) 18-12-2010, 09:43 AM

Hi! I'm new here so I hope it's ok to write a new thread... I found this page when looking up Blackcaps. I have been feeding our birds for the past year and I am totally hooked, and now spend a small fortune on these little guys

So anyway, we have a list in the kitchen of all the ones we've seens - I have become very familiar with the usual visitors - we put out fatcakes, suet balls, sunflower seeds, nijar seeds and robin blend(on the table).

So yesterday a new bird immediately caught my eye on the birdcake, it was very plain looking but stood out straight away as something I've never encountered before. I looked through the rspb book and the only one it looks closest too is a female Blackcap - it's very plain lightbrown, grey underneath and quite a red/brown head - definitely not a male blackcap anyway. Again this morning it's out there and I decided to take some photos - apologies for poor quality they're taken from the kitchen. On the 2nd photo you can certainly see the red head, though the rest of the bird is quite camuflaged!

This is a very aggressive bird. It was fighting with the robin when I first saw it yesterday, and after I put out the morning bird table food today it won't let any other bird near the table and is guarding it fiercely. While I like a diverse garden it does seem a bit unfair and my mum wonders if there's a way to discourage it from coming here at all! A small gang of blue/great tits did try to counterattack but really the robin is the only table bird who can stand up to it!
thx in advance!

Vectisbirder · #2 (**permalink**) 18-12-2010, 09:57 AM

It definitely looks like a female Blackcap. We've got one in our garden at the moment.

Harold Smith · #3 (**permalink**) 18-12-2010, 11:04 AM

Certainly looks like a female Blackcap to me. I also have one in the garden (appeared a couple of days ago) and a very agressive bird she is. She has taken over the fat cake hanging in my apple tree. If any other bird approaches anywhere near the cake she sees them of. She even saw of a Wood Pigeon who had the temerity to land on a branch above her.

Harold.

faz · #4 (**permalink**) 18-12-2010, 11:39 AM

hi magicboots welcome to WAB

its a female blackcap for me too

Magicboots · #5 (**permalink**) 18-12-2010, 12:24 PM

Thanks guys

And yes, quite a feisty one, been causing mayhem in the garden all day!

Richard Baber · #6 (**permalink**) 19-12-2010, 08:16 AM

They do box above their weight don't they? I've had a few males scrapping with anything smaller than a starling for a couple of weeks, taking possession of the fat tubes rather than the feeders. My first female turned up yesterday to help the males fight off the competition. I love them.