Will Black caps nest in Blue tit boxes?

sables2

Hi Guys,
I've a few lovely Black caps. I think I've a pair of male & female. I do how ever have Blue tits as well. The thing is: Do Black caps nest in boxes or are they migration birds only? Pity if that's the case. I really believe they are more secretive and elusive of the two. I do love Blue tits, as they are gregarious and hardy little buggers, but, i think i have a longing to keep my binoculars longer on the Black caps as they are much more elusive and intriguing.:rolleyes:

LostCovey

sables2 wrote: »

Hi Guys,
I've a few lovely Black caps. I think I've a pair of male & female. I do how ever have Blue tits as well. The thing is: Do Black caps nest in boxes or are they migration birds only? Pity if that's the case. I really believe they are more secretive and elusive of the two. I do love Blue tits, as they are gregarious and hardy little buggers, but, i think i have a longing to keep my binoculars longer on the Black caps as they are much more elusive and intriguing.:rolleyes:

In short, no they won't, for two reasons:

- your wintering Blackcaps will breed ion the summer in Germany, Holland, somewhere like that. Our breeding birds are wintering in Africa now

- Blackcaps are open-nesters - they nest in vegetation, not in a crevice, so they won't use a nestbox.


Never mind, they are lovely winter visitors.

LostCovey

sables2

LostCovey wrote: »

In short, no they won't, for two reasons:

- your wintering Blackcaps will breed ion the summer in Germany, Holland, somewhere like that. Our breeding birds are wintering in Africa now

- Blackcaps are open-nesters - they nest in vegetation, not in a crevice, so they won't use a nestbox.


Never mind, they are lovely winter visitors.

LostCovey

Thanks LostCovey,
That's very interesting to know...'open-nesters'. Is it too late to put out my box now do you know... I though some one said you can put 'em out till early February??

Kess73

Resident blackcaps are actually quite cheeky birds once they get used to you, and will approach a person they are used to much in the same manner as a robin or great tit will.

I have a female blackcap who is a regular on the windowsill to get her share of mealworm when I am handfeeding the tits and the robin.

If you want to watch your blackcaps eating, try chopping up little chunks of banana whilst it is still in it's skin, and skewer the chunk on the end of a branch neear where you normally spot the blackcaps in your garden. They love fresh banana. They are also quite fond of suet filled half coconuts and may surprise you with how agile they are in terms of how they can hang to get to things like that.


I also had one of my best ever hand feeding moments yesterday when Ninja (my wren, yes my wren:D) shocked me by changing his tactics for getting a waxworm.

Normally he waits nearby for his one to be thrown to him, whereas Shadow (old Blue tit) and the other tits just pile onto my hands and shoulders when they decide it is feeding time. But yesterday he went to his regular position, and I took my eye off of him as I opened the waxworm tub and got a few waxworm into my hand. All of a sudden there was a tiny weight on my hand and there was Ninja nicking a waxworm

He has been called Ninja for his lightning quick attacks, from seemingly out of nowhere, on food meant for other birds. He tends to mug Blackie Yellowbeak and a few of the other regular blackbirds more often than any other bird as he is in and out with something in his beak before the bigger birds even realise their treat is gone. Then almost every night without fail he retreats to the same nest box to roost, and on the colder nights I often spot up to a dozen other wren going in to join him.

There is a pic of him peeping from his box in the thread with the poll for the Irish national bird.

LostCovey

Kess73 wrote: »

Resident blackcaps are actually quite cheeky birds once they get used to you, and will approach a person they are used to much in the same manner as a robin or great tit will.

Small quibble - we don't have resident Blackcaps - we have wintering ones and a breeding population

LC

sables2

LostCovey wrote: »

Small quibble - we don't have resident Blackcaps - we have wintering ones and a breeding population

LC

Cheers Kess and LC.
PS: Why is it my nyger is NOT getting touched at all? I have lots of feeders scattered around my big(ish) garden on bushes mostly as it's safer and more 'natural'...The thing is: fellas said to me a while back: "leave out nyger and you won't be sorry, they'll be back in their droves. You'll have many tits and finches from all over" I'm still waiting 3 months and counting...............disappointing

Kess73

LostCovey wrote: »

Small quibble - we don't have resident Blackcaps - we have wintering ones and a breeding population

LC

Was just easier to call the ones that make up the breeding population resident to distinquish them from the ones that come here for their winter holiday.


In hindsight it would have been better just to call them a breeding population as you did.


I do think that there is a possible arguement to be made regarding the speciation of blackcap in Ireland though. Studies have been done on it for the UK and while nothing has been confirmed, many think that there may be true resident blackcap in the UK albeit in very small numbers.

It is most likely a pipedream, but I do quite like the thought of a new true resident species over here in Ireland as well.

Kess73

sables2 wrote: »

Cheers Kess and LC.
PS: Why is it my nyger is NOT getting touched at all? I have lots of feeders scattered around my big(ish) garden on bushes mostly as it's safer and more 'natural'...The thing is: fellas said to me a while back: "leave out nyger and you won't be sorry, they'll be back in their droves. You'll have many tits and finches from all over" I'm still waiting 3 months and counting...............disappointing

To be honest it is just a matter of waiting it out in order for the birds to find your feeder.

Nyger is loved by goldfinch and redpoll and once they know it is there you will get mobbed.

I started getting visits from overwintering redpoll a number of years back, not many birds at first, and I put out nyger feeders. Word must have gotten out because once the nyger was spotted by the small group the numbers swelled. Since then I get mobbed each year by large numbers of redpoll from the end of October/start of novemeber until mid spring.

All I can advise is for you to hang in there because it will be worth it when word gets out that your garden has nyger. The only other thing you might truy is moving the feeder to different locations in your garden every now and then until you get visitors to it.

sables2

Kess73 wrote: »

To be honest it is just a matter of waiting it out in order for the birds to find your feeder.

Nyger is loved by goldfinch and redpoll and once they know it is there you will get mobbed.

I started getting visits from overwintering redpoll a number of years back, not many birds at first, and I put out nyger feeders. Word must have gotten out because once the nyger was spotted by the small group the numbers swelled. Since then I get mobbed each year by large numbers of redpoll from the end of October/start of novemeber until mid spring.

All I can advise is for you to hang in there because it will be worth it when word gets out that your garden has nyger. The only other thing you might truy is moving the feeder to different locations in your garden every now and then until you get visitors to it.

Thanks Kess,
Maybe that's it: If i move the feeder around. As it's in the same location always. It's pretty much secluded from an ariel point of view to be honest. So Redpoll and goldfinches are the likely candidates? Will black caps not go near it....seems not, as i'v the nyger next to a nut mix. The green finches, blue tits and black caps go for this one and all the others are 'picked at' occasionally :rolleyes:

Kess73

sables2 wrote: »

Thanks Kess,
Maybe that's it: If i move the feeder around. As it's in the same location always. It's pretty much secluded from an ariel point of view to be honest. So Redpoll and goldfinches are the likely candidates? Will black caps not go near it....seems not, as i'v the nyger next to a nut mix. The green finches, blue tits and black caps go for this one and all the others are 'picked at' occasionally :rolleyes:

From my own experiences, the birds that favour nyger over any other seed are goldfinch and redpoll. A few other birds will pick at it from time to time, but nothing attracts the two birds I named like fresh nyger imho.

Once they do find your feeder, you can expect numbers to grow quickly. All it will take is one or two goldfinch exploring the area to turn your garden into a preferred dining area.

LostCovey

Kess73 wrote: »

Was just easier to call the ones that make up the breeding population resident to distinquish them from the ones that come here for their winter holiday.


In hindsight it would have been better just to call them a breeding population as you did.


I do think that there is a possible arguement to be made regarding the speciation of blackcap in Ireland though. Studies have been done on it for the UK and while nothing has been confirmed, many think that there may be true resident blackcap in the UK albeit in very small numbers.

It is most likely a pipedream, but I do quite like the thought of a new true resident species over here in Ireland as well.

Maybe so, I had not heard of that theory. Infact I had heard/read somehwere that our breeding and wintering Blackcaps are separating (changing in size and in habits). I assume the ones that stay on in th UK are from the wintering population?

LC

Ditch

sables2 wrote: »

Is it too late to put out my box now do you know... I though some one said you can put 'em out till early February??

I don't know where anyone got the idea it's ever 'too late' to put out nest boxes. Put them up now and the first prospectors will find them.

Put them up in April and late comers will find them.

Put them up in September and they'll be there when the first prospectors come along next year.

See? It's never 'too late' or 'too early'. Worst thing ye can do is take them down at any time.

sables2

Kess73 wrote: »

From my own experiences, the birds that favour nyger over any other seed are goldfinch and redpoll. A few other birds will pick at it from time to time, but nothing attracts the two birds I named like fresh nyger imho.

Once they do find your feeder, you can expect numbers to grow quickly. All it will take is one or two goldfinch exploring the area to turn your garden into a preferred dining area.

Brilliant...patients is a virtue. That sounds worth the wait. Gold finches are a beautiful coloured bird. In fact the RSPB field guide book a few years ago had a goldfinch on it's front cover!

sables2

Ditch wrote: »

I don't know where anyone got the idea it's ever 'too late' to put out nest boxes. Put them up now and the first prospectors will find them.

Put them up in April and late comers will find them.

Put them up in September and they'll be there when the first prospectors come along next year.

See? It's never 'too late' or 'too early'. Worst thing ye can do is take them down at any time.

Ha - that sounds 'practical' and to be honest..logical Ditch. It's a bit like saying: only cut the grass in summer and not the winter. Well, i cut mine always 2 weeks before xmas to 'clean it up'. Guess i'll put my next box up next spring now...no hurry

Kess73

LostCovey wrote: »

Maybe so, I had not heard of that theory. Infact I had heard/read somehwere that our breeding and wintering Blackcaps are separating (changing in size and in habits). I assume the ones that stay on in th UK are from the wintering population?

LC

Yep that is part of the speciation report that is being done. Part of the findings released so far did indicate that there were physical and habitual changes occuring in both the breeding and wintering populations in the UK and also that many tagged birds were found to have stayed in the UK all year round.

It is still very early in the studies, but if it gets proven to be accurate for the UK, then it stands to reason that the same may be possible over here.

Kess73

sables2 wrote: »

Ha - that sounds 'practical' and to be honest..logical Ditch. It's a bit like saying: only cut the grass in summer and not the winter. Well, i cut mine always 2 weeks before xmas to 'clean it up'. Guess i'll put my next box up next spring now...no hurry

Better to have the box up early that late to be honest. Many species are starting to pair up now and some already have.

If you have a nest box out now, it gives the birds time to get used to it as a permanent fixture and increases the chance of it getting used.

Having said that, there are no set rules as to the putting out of nest boxes. A box could go unused for breeding for two years and the same box could get lucky and get used almost as soon as the bird finds it.

But I love having clean boxes out all year round as birds will also use them to roost in over the course of a year, and the boxes can literally become lifesavers during cold snaps as anyone who has watched wrens pack nest boxes by the dozen during winter will tell you.