Blackcap in London singing in middle of winter (1 Viewer)

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jasonanderson

Member

• Jan 29, 2012

• #1

Surprising news of a male Blackcap singing in Acton, London sporadically for 2 weeks now, in urban gardens. First heard on 15th Jan 2012. Recorded 29th Jan and uploaded to xeno-canto.org ref XC93726. Quick searches and checks of literature indicate few other records of males singing in UK in winter. Presumably European male; dialect may be detectable.

Weather has been fairly typical for time of year, between 5-12C.

Jason Anderson

 

Andrew Rowlands

Well-known member

• Jan 30, 2012

• #2

Welcome Jason.

Do you know if it was/is associated with a patch (or several patches) of mature Ivy?

 

Mary

Well-known member

• Jan 30, 2012

• #3

I don't know if it's rare for them to sing in winter, but most years the males that arrive in our garden sing their heads off! Starting sometimes in December, sometimes in the new year, they may be out in the open, or 'humming'(!) quietly from within a conifer. Lovely to hear!

 

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jasonanderson

Member

• Jan 30, 2012

• #4

Andrew and Mary,
Thanks for your replies. If it is common, it isn't documented in BWPi, or on Xenocanto from anywhere north of Spain, and only there in February.

Interestingly, we have several very mature ivy 'clumps' in the back gardens here - What's your thought / observation?

Jason

 

Andrew Rowlands

Well-known member

• Jan 30, 2012

• #5

Ivy is about the only common native plant that has ripening fruit and attracts good numbers of insects (when it's warm enough) during the Winter. When I've heard Blackcaps singing (never full, only subsong) in towns during the Winter, I've associated them with mature Ivy being nearby - a good dependable food source.

 

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davercox

Dave Cox

Supporter

• Jan 31, 2012

• #6

jasonanderson said:

If it is common, it isn't documented in BWPi, or on Xenocanto from anywhere north of Spain, and only there in February.

Click to expand...

I just had a quick flick through recent years, and found a record of one in full song here in the warm southwest on 29th January 2008. But it is unusual, for sure; in some years I don't hear song till March.