I have lots of goldfinches,greenfinches,blue tits,great tits,robins and chaffinches but have never seen a Blackcap and would love to know how to tempt them into the garden.Any ideas.
Hi,
I don't think Blackcaps enjoy being in gardens that much. They only tend to visit when their natural food isn't available, or when it's very cold and they need extra fat to see them through the cold nights. I had my very first one this week. She is eating peanut granules and suet pellets. I put some raisins out for her but she has ignored them. They are mainly summer visitors to the UK - not many here in the winter. They like tall trees and plenty of thick cover.
Cheers, Linda.
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I've also had my first today and he seems to be popping in and out of the garden mainly feeding from the peanuts and berry suet block. I live quite close to woodland though so it could be like Sparrow said in the previous reply, he's just come to the garden from the taller, thicker trees in this cold weather looking to get some extra fat.
to attract blackcaps put out some apples cut them in half and watch them munching the apples, a male and female blackcap visits my garden and goes straight for the apples or the banana skin which still has bits of the banana still on it i have also seen the blackcap eat bits off the pineapple skin.
Hi I have a regular male blackcap visitor to my garden, he enjoys suet pellets and mealworms. Although I have not seen him today as weather a bit milder down here in Devon!! Quite a few birds feeding but not as many as normal.
I have an overwintering pair that seem quite happy to queue up with the Blue Tits for suet pellets (RSPB buggy nibbles in fact) served from a bog standard peanut steel mesh dispenser. This is the second winter I've had them around.
You'll only tend to find them in mature shrubby gardens as they prefer to stay close to reliable cover in my experience.
Every day a little more irate about bird of prey persecution, and I have a cat - Got a problem with that?
My one always goes straight for the Christmas Pudding flavoured large suet cake
Best wishes Chris
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You're spoiling them again Chris...
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This is what my 2 like;
We had a pair of Blackcaps a couple of years ago, never before and not since. Why did they come to us? No idea but it was in the Summer, they fed from tables and the ground, arebeautiful birds and were fairly brave in character.