Know your tits
- Thread starter British Red
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Thanks Leon,
We have loads of them about but its more getting a good photo that I want to do if you know what I mean? I like to try to photograph the things I see - although some (like the long tails) are easier to see than get a good clear photo.
It gets to be a "quest"
Red
No problems mate. As you know they are one of my favourite garden visitors so it wouldn't have been any hassle apart from of course as you say getting that one decent shot.
Lovely pictures there. Long-taileds are one of my favourites too, see them regularly, but never seen a bearded. Maybe one day. Still, plenty of goldcrests around here too, so can't grumble, eh. 
Bought some insect fat mix today Toddy - we'll see where it gets me
If I get a nice photo, you win a bottle of firewine!
Red
If I get a nice photo, you win a bottle of firewine!
Red
I've never seen a long tail, nor a cuckoo. The cuckoo is a bird I would really like to see in the wild.
Does my garden count? Poor blackbird got landed with one two years ago - chick was bigger than him! Got some pictures somewhere. Boring looking brown job really...
This took some finding. It was taken on my old slr, but instead of prints, I had a cd of the photo's made. I then forgot about it...
Anyway, like I said, not the best of shots, but you can see the nest and how well camoflauged it is, and also see a LTT with a feather in its mouth for lining the nest... I dunno where they were getting the feathers from but they kept comming back with those white feathers time after time...
This is about the best shot of a LTT I have....
Anyway, like I said, not the best of shots, but you can see the nest and how well camoflauged it is, and also see a LTT with a feather in its mouth for lining the nest... I dunno where they were getting the feathers from but they kept comming back with those white feathers time after time...
This is about the best shot of a LTT I have....
The long-tails are talkative little chaps as well. They're constantly calling to each other in their winter groups. They have "tuck-tuck" and "tsirrup" calls when together, but when they are away from the main group they have a sharper "tsi-tsi-tsi" call.
I know, I know, I'm a birding anorak. But stuff like this interests me.
I know, I know, I'm a birding anorak. But stuff like this interests me.
I always love to hear that tsi tsi tsi sound...It all interests me too, and when I am out, if I am not scanning the ground to see what plants are about, I am looking around in the tree's and hedges looking for the birdies..
I love it when I'm in the middle of a flock of them in the woods.Busy little blighters.
Had a few in the garden today;rushed to get the camera;got back;gone.
They don't stay long in one place do they.?
Had a few in the garden today;rushed to get the camera;got back;gone.
They don't stay long in one place do they.?
BR, you mentioned buying insect mix.
last year I made up a batch of my own and have been putting it out this winter. I had wasp traps out (jam jar with apple juice & jam in most of the year) and along with the wasps trapped loads of flies too. So strained off the mix, picked out the wasps and mixed the rest in with a wild bird seed mix some meal worms (dried) and a handfull of maggots (from fishing tackle shop) and suet, some mixed fruit bits, chopped nuts, currents etc. Put it in yogurt pots or tubs let it set, pop in the freezer ready for the cold weather. Before putting it out I let them thaw out a day or two and then hang them on the bird feeder or trees in the garden. The birds go mental for them. They are usually gone the same day, aposed to the bought stuff that lasts a few days.
we hade Blue,Coal, Great & Long Tail Tits going at them, Robins, even the Gold Finches ventured off the niger seed to have a peck at them. The Black Birds frighten off the Starlings to get at them and even A thrush has been going at them too.
The only downside was we lost a Blackbird who was so intent on feeding it did not see the Sparrow Hawk that visits us occassionaly.
And NO I am not out in the sticks, just a suburban area near fields. We are very fortunate and get a lot of birds in the garden, but we have been encouraging them a lot.
last year I made up a batch of my own and have been putting it out this winter. I had wasp traps out (jam jar with apple juice & jam in most of the year) and along with the wasps trapped loads of flies too. So strained off the mix, picked out the wasps and mixed the rest in with a wild bird seed mix some meal worms (dried) and a handfull of maggots (from fishing tackle shop) and suet, some mixed fruit bits, chopped nuts, currents etc. Put it in yogurt pots or tubs let it set, pop in the freezer ready for the cold weather. Before putting it out I let them thaw out a day or two and then hang them on the bird feeder or trees in the garden. The birds go mental for them. They are usually gone the same day, aposed to the bought stuff that lasts a few days.
we hade Blue,Coal, Great & Long Tail Tits going at them, Robins, even the Gold Finches ventured off the niger seed to have a peck at them. The Black Birds frighten off the Starlings to get at them and even A thrush has been going at them too.
The only downside was we lost a Blackbird who was so intent on feeding it did not see the Sparrow Hawk that visits us occassionaly.
And NO I am not out in the sticks, just a suburban area near fields. We are very fortunate and get a lot of birds in the garden, but we have been encouraging them a lot.
Hmmm may try that - we have made our own, large, "fat balls" with veg suet and whatever seed was lying around - contents of the wasp traps is a good idea though - nice one!
Red
Red
Thanks BR.
I did think about leaving the wasps in, but thought the colour might be off putting to the birds plus I did not know if even when dead they may harm the birds, so I left them out.
I have made home made bird food / feeders for some time now, but these really do produce results, the birds really do seem to que up for them and just go at them till they are gone.
I hope you get the same results, it is great watching them feeding in their own ways, we have a couple of nesting families of blue tits in the garden and a coal tit keeps checking out a nest box i put up last year.
there is a bit of a property struggle going on at the moment, one of last years blue tit young keeps going in the box, but the coal tit competes for the same box, at the moment it is first come first served, who ever is in first seems to stay in, but I have seen both of them be chased out by the other at some point.
It is great entertainment watching them just as dusk is starting to fall, to see who will get in first.
I did think about leaving the wasps in, but thought the colour might be off putting to the birds plus I did not know if even when dead they may harm the birds, so I left them out.
I have made home made bird food / feeders for some time now, but these really do produce results, the birds really do seem to que up for them and just go at them till they are gone.
I hope you get the same results, it is great watching them feeding in their own ways, we have a couple of nesting families of blue tits in the garden and a coal tit keeps checking out a nest box i put up last year.
there is a bit of a property struggle going on at the moment, one of last years blue tit young keeps going in the box, but the coal tit competes for the same box, at the moment it is first come first served, who ever is in first seems to stay in, but I have seen both of them be chased out by the other at some point.
It is great entertainment watching them just as dusk is starting to fall, to see who will get in first.
Hi BR
I think the ownership of the bird box issue has been resolved this morning.
The Coal & Blue tits had a scrap this morning, both trying to get into the box, the fell to the floor and scuffeled for a few seconds before the Blue gave way and flew off.
The victorious Coal, went in and sat chirping through the entrance for a few min's.
i will keep my eye out for the removal van bringing in all his kit.
I think the ownership of the bird box issue has been resolved this morning.
The Coal & Blue tits had a scrap this morning, both trying to get into the box, the fell to the floor and scuffeled for a few seconds before the Blue gave way and flew off.
The victorious Coal, went in and sat chirping through the entrance for a few min's.
i will keep my eye out for the removal van bringing in all his kit.
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