Blackcap

[Guinnessman1974]

I've a pair of Blackcaps in my gardnen, male + female, great to have!

Where will these two birds likely have spent the Summer? Are they more likely to be from the continent, or will they have been u.k. summer breeders?

Loads of Blackbirds and Redwings also about, I guess pretty much all of these birds will be from Sweden?

thanks.

[Acipiter]

Some of them do now spend the summer here, I don't know if you can tell if there from the continent or not I suspect not.

[Birdman1976]

Yeah Blackcaps are really nice birds. I always find them quite feisty characters at the bird table.

With regards to their origin, i guess it could be either of your suggestions. Depending on your locality i suppose they could have migrated from further north in the UK or come in from Europe, where the weather has also been very severe so far this winter.

Lovely birds to have around

[luckyoldme]

We had three in our garden in Reading during the summer, two males and a female, but haven't seen them since about the end of July unfortunately. Still you never know what will turn up and when... I am constantly pleasantly surprised.

[Guinnessman1974]

Why don't all Blackcaps just migrate to Africa? I'm surprised that they don't find it too cold here and in Europe.

[Adam Cheeseman]

Most overwintering Blackcaps here are continental in origin.

Cheers,

Adam

[Madmills]

I get a male and female here every winter, they're a lovely little bird, and they love suet blocks bought from Wilko's !

[RKB]

As Adam says, ringing has shown that most wintering birds seem to breed in central Europe (Germany/Austria), while our breeders winter around the Med. But a recent ringing recovery was of a bird breeding and wintering in Britain, s some seem to stay all year round.

Why don't they all migrate? Because they don't have to. If they can survive here, then there is less competition for space in the Med. Goldcrests, Cetti's Warblers, Robins and Dartford Warblers can do it, so it isn't too outlandish. Our climate is much less severe than the rest of Central/Northern Europe.

[Malcolm Banks]

I agree they are a nice bird, I see them very rarely during the summer but they are a daily visitor just now. They defend their position on the fat blocks from tits, robins and wood pigeons, but give way to a jays, magpies and GS woodpeckers.
M