Garden birds

It has been an interesting week for birds on the feeders.  The most exciting sighting was a willow tit.  These photos were taken with the first camera to hand through the window.

I eventually got set up with a better lens with the window open but I have had only a few glimpses since.  This isn't a great photo but it does show the pale wing patch, said previously to be typical of willow tit (but watch the video in the link below).

My BTO Garden BirdWatch records show I have recorded a marsh tit three times in the past 25 years but never a willow tit.  Marsh and willow tits are hard to tell apart and my previous identifications could be wrong but I am grateful to Denise A, Phil A and Phil J for confirming the ID this time.  You can watch a short BTO video on telling marsh tit and willow tit apart here.

There are lots of woodpeckers as well and they tend to monopolise the peanut feeders.  Adults were still feeding fledglings this morning, three weeks after they first appeared.

Another rare summer sighting this week was a male siskin.  I see a few each winter but never before in the summer.  They did breed in the nature reserve only 1km away last year.

And another rare summer bird, a male reed bunting, a regular over the past three weeks.  I expect to see one or two in late spring but never before in the summer.

And previously reed buntings have always been ground feeders here but this one is happy on the seed feeder.

A pair of jays are here every day.  I hope they have a nest nearby and I may see young jays soon.  Jays nested in the garden last year but the nest was wiped out by carrion crows.

Activity on the feeders is frantic at the moment as there are so many young birds.  When it is here the willow tit isn't immediately obvious because there are so many young great tits.

There are almost 30 bird species in the garden each week, mostly regulars but every now and then a surprise.