[Closed] Longtailed tits...

Maybe they're Londoners looking for a second home? Do you live in Whitsable, Southwold, or the Cotswolds?

No, we've had Great Tits in ours the last 2 years, I've never seen a Long tailed Tit, aren't they really small?

PP - they are like a 1:12 scale magpie with a bit of pink...and a very cute ickle face.

[img] [/img]

We get them in our garden but as yet nothing has gone for the new nest boxes

Slight thread hijack, am I too late to put some nesting boxes up on the new workshop this year? If not, any recommendations for type of boxes and how many etc?

Amazing coincedence!

Never seen these little birds before in our garden yet a couple popped up yesterday mid morning, played around in the twisted hazel for a while then flew off. Later on in the afternoon 6-7 of them turn up have a feed and stick around for a while.
Had to visit the rspb site to learn what they were. Tiny little things with big long tails and really quick.
We are in Gateshead in a fairly urban area although not far (1/2 mile) from woods and fields.

Hhhmm. I've seen a few birds which appear similar to the one posted ^^^.

But, the colour was flashes of faint green, placed in similar area of red in the picture ^.

[i]Never seen these little birds before[/i]

Hence, I assumed it was some sort of wagtail ?.

look like this:
[img] [/img]

Wagtails are quite a big bigger than long tailed tits.

Pied wagtails are black and white, and you won't see them in trees or bushes. They spend most of the time on the floor or perched on buildings.

As said, they are a fair bit bigger than long tailed tits.

That's a grey wagtail ^

I get massive flocks of them in my garden, they turn up like a flash mob then disappear just as quickly.

They're quite bold - I've had them feed of the seed feeders while I'm standing right next to them, literally inches from my face.

I have lots of nest boxes and they seem to investigate them at this time of year - possibly roosting in them - but I've not had any nesting in them yet.

Fingers crossed though, they're one of my favourite visitors to the garden.

The few times I've seen long tail tits they've been in groups of 5-10

They look like fairies dancing through the woods

................ I need to man the **** up really

Plumber - just got a flash vision of a longtailed tit in a full face lid. Not riding a CX though!

[i]Wagtails are quite a big bigger than long tailed tits.[/i]

Ok, ta.
🙂

Whoever named these birds was clearly colour blind.

Adam, wasn't it...

[quote=teasel ]Whoever named these birds was clearly colour blind.
Adam, wasn't it...

Grey wagtail is grey on top

Yellow wagtail is considerably more yellow

[img] [/img]

They arrive in a riot in our garden. Lovely to watch on the feeders. I'm hoping the gold crests return to our garden, they were a treat.

It's still a tad misleading; Yellow-bellied Wagtail would be more fitting...

(I'm having a laugh, BTW)

We get hoards of the Long-tailed Tits around these parts - beautiful

[quote=teasel ]It's still a tad misleading; Yellow-bellied Wagtail would be more fitting...
(I'm having a laugh, BTW)
We get hoards of the Long-tailed Tits around these parts - beautiful

Are you call my wagtail a coward? WhyIOughtta...

😉

Long tailed tits are always a joy to listen to and to watch.

The long tails in the OP are more likely looking at the nest box as a night time roosting during very cold nights.

And for all you peeps considering putting up nest boxes. Now is a great time to put up boxes for your local birds and if moneys tight, consider alternatives like nailing up an old walking boot and other objects with a smallish opening.

There is a flock of 6 which regularly come into our front garden - lovely little things.
You should hunt down the bit of film about them roosting and huddling together.

Edit - found it

Ooh long tailed tits are lovely little birds. There have been a flock of 5 visiting our garden in the last few cold weeks.

I doubt very much that they'll nest on your box, as you said they build a gorgeous little round style next out of soft feathers and grasses.

Just a note to anyone putting up a bird box (yes do it now), please consider the position. High enough to keep out predators and not south facing. Ours are all NW facing.

Oh and put out some nice food to encourage the birds. You can visit any RSPB site for more info.

In the past LTT's have been infrequent visitors here, & then like others above, usually in a group.
The last few weeks i've had a pair staying around the garden. I have nest boxes up & Blue & Great Tits nest here most years. It'll be great if the LTTs stick around.

I had been wondering if there's been some change in environment that's pushed them into the town looking for nesting sites.