first winter blackcap (3 Viewers)

[Disneynut1973]

We had a male Blackcap in the garden on Saturday (3rd) it was in a bush right next to the window but wouldn't stay still long enough to get a photo, first time i've ever seen one and not seen it since!

 

[Howard King]

(Still in Tenby) This female Blackcap remains very possessive of the apple I have staked out chasing of any other species that shows an interest. (pic through the window glass)

 

[Jack Dawe]

Had no less than five (yes, five!) in the garden this morning: three males and two females. Strangely there wasn't any aggression. At one point the two females were loafing in the hedge within inches of each other. Previously a male had been vigorously defending the fat cake and chasing away everything in sight, but he hasn't been around for the last week and a female had taken over. I'm wondering whether perhaps that male was a sixth bird which has died, leaving the coast clear for the others to move in.

 

[mikfoz]

The Blackcap that seems to have taken over our garden has no hesitation in fighting the Starlings for first dibs on the fat ball.

 

[oncebittern]

Had a single male two winters ago, a single female last winter, and a single female this winter too. A regular visitor though, making an appearance most days.

 

[Bish]

2 males present again today.

Regards Bish :t:

 

[Kentbloke]

A male in the garden today

 

[stuart C smith]

my garden male is back again today, working his way through an xmas pudding on the bird table.

 

[mattsharps]

Lovely photo of the starling and the blackcap, Bish!

 

[Howard King]

2 males present again today.

Regards Bish :t:

What a great photograph - you should enter it in one of the monthly competitions would get my vote

 

[Duke Leto]

Had my first blackcap in the garden yesterday a lovely female sitting in the sun on a bush, as I was stuck on a conference call I wasn't able to attempt to photograph it, but its was the 1st time I've seen one there.
It was on a Mahonia

 

[Mary]

Singing in February!

This little chap was competing with the traffic in a 'sunny interval' on Wednesday. http://s556.photobucket.com/albums/ss7/Taffy-29/?action=view&current=Blackcapsinging4Feb09.flv

 

[Guizotia]

Two male blackcaps in my garden have turned ultra-territorial since the snow, and I now no longer get visits from Goldfinches or Greenfinches.

 

[Jack Dawe]

Still got at least four visiting. Had two females together this morning and then later on two males. Managed to snap a male and female together. Surprised the female didn't chase him off - she normally does!

 

[Mary]

Still got at least four visiting. Had two females together this morning and then later on two males. Managed to snap a male and female together. Surprised the female didn't chase him off - she normally does!

Great pic - perhaps he was hidden by the fat and she couldn't quite see him!
I also still have 4-5 visiting. I wonder when they'll leave this year? It's often around 1st-2nd week in April.

 

[DaveN]

Great photo, Jack Dawe. I was really hoping to see a Blackcap this Winter but it looks like I'll have to wait until the migrants arrive.

 

[Atricapilla]

I still have 10 Blackcaps finishing off the ivy/cotoneaster berries in the garden,they usually leave us around about now moving further inland to breed.

 

[RICHAT]

A female blackcap (browncap) this morning becomes my latest garden tick. I may have seen a male here 15 years ago or so in the Summer, but my memory is a tad hazy about that. Also, by way of contrast, a pheasant landed in our tiny garden this afternoon. The only previous one was spotted on our garage by my wife 3 years ago. And with all the wood pigeons we have, she wants to know where she can buy a gun!

 

[Jack Dawe]

Great pic - perhaps he was hidden by the fat and she couldn't quite see him!

Thanks. I think that's very possible! Though it does seem to me that the territorialism is breaking down a bit. Early in the new year the fat ball was "owned" by a male that wouldn't even let another Blackcap in the garden if he could help it. Then it was taken over by this female who acted similarly. Now the agression seems to have subsided a bit. On a number of occasions I've seen two birds loafing in our hedge quite near to each other. Sometimes it's two males, sometimes a male and a female. They don't seem to worry unless one gets too near. Similarly I've seen often two birds in the apple tree that contains the fat ball. Often they will tolerate each other for a good while before one will suddenly decide to chase the other away. What the trigger is I have no idea.

Great photo, Jack Dawe. I was really hoping to see a Blackcap this Winter but it looks like I'll have to wait until the migrants arrive.

Thanks, Dave. Much appreciated.

 

[iveljay]

Last year 1 male - this year several of both sexes. They are far less aggressive than last years singleton who went everywhere with the greenfinches - possibly picked up their bad behaviour!
Nice pic - pity that fat balls get devoured in no time by starlings round here.