Question for the birders

[Mr.H]

January 19, 2009 at 1:50 pm

Hi folks,

I have a garden visitor which I don’t recall ever seeing before. Looking on the rspb website I believe it to be a male blackcap… so a question for those in the know.. are these particularly rare, or have I just not been looking hard enough in the past?

If I get the chance, I try stalking it to add to the PI book of birds….. My only image so far is awful and not worthy of a post!

Cheers

Gary

[Alan Rossiter]

January 19, 2009 at 2:26 pm

When looking for how common a bird may be I use this link:

http://www.birdsireland.com/pages/site_pages/features/irish_list/list_start.html

The blackcap is listed as a breeder and in attendance Summer & Winter…so all in all it is not classed as common, just not rare either. The blackcap can be found on part 5. Stick up the picture anyway Gary for a definate ID…it could be a female bullfinch either!

Alan.

[Mr.H]

January 19, 2009 at 2:46 pm

Thanks Alan,

I’ll pop something up… but not for a few days (travelling with work)

[PeteTheBloke]

January 19, 2009 at 6:49 pm

I think the blackcaps we have in summer leave us for the south
and the ones we have in the winter come here from the north.
You’re more likely to see them in the garden in the winter. I think.

[Mr.H]

January 22, 2009 at 11:03 pm

Ok heres my only image so far… ironic that its the frst image I’ve put up on a while, and one of my worst!

It’d be good if anyone can confirm that this is a blackcap

Thanks

Gary

[Alan Rossiter]

January 23, 2009 at 6:45 am

Yep, male blackcap.

Alan

[PeteTheBloke]

January 23, 2009 at 8:33 am

Looks right to me too. Cute little fella.

[Mr.H]

January 23, 2009 at 9:19 am

Thanks guys.

Cute yes… but quite aggressive around the feeders… spends a lot of his timing chasing off tits.