Friday, January 01, 2010

Happy 2010 + Question

Hi all
A quick question. I have a female Blackcap feeding at the feeding station this morning here in North Wales, is it unusual for Blackcaps to over-winter in the UK ?

A glorious sunny, still morning here on the Llyn Peninsula this morning so we went for a walk down the coast at 8.30 am. Not too much around on the sea shore but thousands of lapwing, plover and assorted waders feeding in the fields near the sea which were being thawed by the sun after a heavy frost overnight. Hope the weather is sunny back in Calderdale and you all get some good bird sightings on your afternoon walks.

A very happy, healthy and good birding year to all on the blog, from Sue and Paul
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3 comments:

AndyC said...

Hey up.Blackcaps are an ever increasing winter visitor,I used to have up to 3 in my garden in halifax allways nice to see in the winter.all the best to you and sue for the new year.

12:39 pm
Goldon Gordon said...

Hi Andy
Reason I asked is that the local tweeter watches tell me they have never seen a Blackcap in winter here. The bird is still around though it had a near miss with a male Sparrowhawk this morning. Bertie the Buzzard is still coming down every day for carcases and bread. So far he,s had Chicken, Duck, Pheasant and Wood Pigeon to scoff over Xmas once Sue and I had first go at them of course. There is a lot of game shooting here during the hols and we keep getting back home to find a brace of something or other hanging off the van door. Yesterday we went for New Years day lunch with some farming mates to discover the main course at lunch was one of the lambs we had helped them round up last week. Its a bit more in your face than shopping at Tescos for your dinner :-))

3:34 pm
Mike Stead said...

Hi Paul - i used to get a Blackcap in the garden in most winters, but not for the last few years!
Apparently a good percentage of the population stay in Britain instead of heading to Sunny Spain; and these are joined by a good number from the Continent - Germany in particular, for some reason -which prefer Britain to Spain as well. Maybe this hard winter will change future behaviour ??
Have a great new year.

5:20 pm

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