A Male Blackcap

A male blackcap appeared in our garden this morning, the first time we've seen one in several years. We've had females visit - one only ten days ago, see here - but even they are rare.

The blackcap was feeding on some old sultanas we had put out, a food which, until today, only the blackbirds had tried, and then only half-heartedly. So we're hoping the blackcap will tell his friends and we'll see more of these very pretty birds.

The blackcap is a type of warbler, their normal food being insects, though they do eat fruit during the winter. But these ones shouldn't be here: their normal wintering spot is the Iberian peninsula or West Africa.