Library picture of female Blackcap (51)Today I recaught the female Blackcap (51) that has been with us since the New Year. She is now starting to lay down fat and was fat score ESF30 and 24.5 grams early on. She's obviously looking to move on.
I have just re-caught the male Blackcap (53) that also had a fat score of ESF30, two weeks ago. His weight (early doors) was 20.1 grams and he has stayed around, although avoiding capture. Today his fat level was down to ESF10, but his weight remains fairly stable at 20.5 grams. There is a lot of 'in-fighting' with the second male over who should feed first at the Camellia bird table.
The other male Blackcap (77) continues to evade capture; on the last day of February he weighed just 16.5 grams, first thing in the morning. I'll have to put a net up in a new position if I want to trap him before he, too, leaves. I wonder how much weight he's put on?
Library picture of male Blackcap (77)How much longer will these birds stay around and feed off the soaked sultanas on the bird table? Days, I should imagine. I doubt if they will attempt to migrate all the while we are more or less fog-bound.
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