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paul m
Really Wild Member
Registered: November 2006
Location: Sheffield, South Yorks, UK
Posts: 9,367
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Wed 22, February 2012 10:40am
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It would be a long way off course. What has your weather been like lately?
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"We are on Earth to do good to others.
What the others are here for, I don't know."
WH Auden
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culateron
Active Member
Registered: March 2011
Location: North Devon, UK
Posts: 58
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Wed 22, February 2012 12:03pm
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Hi Paul. Wind has been predominently north & north easterlies......which would be about right. It's been present in my friends garden for about a week up to now & is very much attracted to the cactus flower you can see. I think because of the insects attracted to the flower. Cheers for you interest.
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paul m
Really Wild Member
Registered: November 2006
Location: Sheffield, South Yorks, UK
Posts: 9,367
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Wed 22, February 2012 1:41pm
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Well, it has been known even further west, I think - and you could hardly blame it for flying as far as possible from the weather they've had in Eastern Europe this winter!
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"We are on Earth to do good to others.
What the others are here for, I don't know."
WH Auden
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culateron
Active Member
Registered: March 2011
Location: North Devon, UK
Posts: 58
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Wed 22, February 2012 2:12pm
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I agree! I'm going to see if it's still there tomorrow & try for a better image! Cheers again for your interest Paul.
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culateron
Active Member
Registered: March 2011
Location: North Devon, UK
Posts: 58
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Thu 23, February 2012 12:20pm
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No better image achieved though the bird was seen again.
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culateron
Active Member
Registered: March 2011
Location: North Devon, UK
Posts: 58
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Sat 25, February 2012 10:08am
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Thanks to Dave Binns of Arborleas Birding Group & Stephen from Birdguides.com I can now say thiat this appears to be a Blackcap with unusual staining in it's throat from the pollen of the cactus flower it's been supping nectar from..........unless anyone begs to differ?!
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goosey
Completely Wild Member
Registered: August 2007
Location: The Netherlands
Posts: 10,926
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Sat 25, February 2012 10:48am
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I would never had thought a blackcap, that staining looks so perfect, as if the marking was meant to be. But there is a definite 'black cap'.
Still not 100% convinced though.
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culateron
Active Member
Registered: March 2011
Location: North Devon, UK
Posts: 58
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Sat 25, February 2012 11:28am
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Hi Goosey!! I'm 95% there. The Red Breasted Flycatcher (2nd year male) looks very similar but has no black cap. It'll be "one of those things". Thanks for your interest.
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RoyW
Wild Member
Registered: April 2009
Location: London, England
Posts: 230
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Fri 16, March 2012 1:14pm
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I've only just seen this (thanks to a visitor message pointing me in the right direction from Goosey).
It is a male Blackcap, but the throat staining is definitely interesting! Red-breasted Flycatcher can be ruled out by the tail and rump (dark rump and tail with white patches at sides of the base of the tail) and the lack of a pale eyering + the "structure" is different.
The grey band below the red throat is also wrong for Red-breasted FLycatcher (though would perhaps fit the even rarer Taiga Flycatcher - which was recently "split" from Red-breasted)!!
I can certainly see why you considered Red-breasted Flycatcher though!
Edit: With reference to comments about recent weather, "recent" weather isn't necessarily relevant even if it was a Red-breasted Flycatcher. Off course migrants regularly reach western Europe in the autumn, and a few of these then manage to survive the winter in western Europe (or perhaps north Africa) - so off course spring vagrants could potentially come from the wrong direction, or have been overlooked all winter.
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culateron
Active Member
Registered: March 2011
Location: North Devon, UK
Posts: 58
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Fri 16, March 2012 1:20pm
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Thank you RoyW for your very definate, & definitive, comments. It caused us, & the friend in who's garden it was feeding, some considerable excitement I can tell you!! Cheers for your interest again.
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Photo Details
