News: October 2005

More and more blackcaps are choosing to spend the winter in Britain and there is a good chance of finding them in the garden.

Blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla) are a reasonably widespread and common summer visitor to Britain. These smallish warblers traditionally go south to their wintering quarters in the autumn. However, over recent decades more and more have chosen to ride out the winter in Britain. Gardens with plenty of shrubs and trees (approximating their natural habitat) are favoured and ornithologists have noticed them visiting the blooms of wither-flowering Oregon grape (Mahonia sp.) - though its not clear if they are looking for insects or feeding on the plants directly.

If you see any wintering warblers in your garden this winter, you can contribute your records to a survey being undertaken by the BTO. Email your sightings (between November 1st and April 15th) to greg.conway@bto.org.

BBC. From the magazine Wildlife, November 2005, Volume 23 Number 12, page 11.

BTO. From the magazine Bird Table, Autumn 2005, Issue 43, page 2.