Willow or Marsh Tit??

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  • I got a better picture of my mystery bird. It is definately a sort of fawn colour underneath. There is no blue or yellow on it anywhere.

  • seymouraves said:

     

    Hi,

    the size of the bib on this bird seems to indicate Coal Tit IMHO - there also appears to be a small smudge on the breast side which Coal Tits often show :)

     

    S

     

    Just had a look again at Coal tit pictures on rspb and looks like you are right.

  • I was back out over the weekend watching the feeders with camera at the ready, and got the pictures below, think i have now settled on it being a Marsh Tit.

    Gary   http://walksnwildlife.blogspot.com/

  • WOW! brilliant photos Gary. It is a charming little bird and one I would love to see. Thanks for sharing yours.

    The necessity of bird-watching is a really good reason for avoiding all forms of housework.

    The dust will still be there tomorrow - the birds may not be!

  • Hi Gary,

    I have just checked the dates on this post sept 09 and realised you have started two posts about seperating Willow and Marsh Tits.

    I gave an informative reply to the second post which was started in december.

    http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/forums/t/7558.aspx?PageIndex=1

    I hope the information provided may make easier when trying to seperate them using a photograph only.

    As mentioned by some other members call and song is by far the easiest way of seperating the two.

    Regards Buzzard

    Nature Is Amazing - Let Us Keep It That Way

  • Very likely to be a marsh tit - they visit feeders.  Very cute bird indeed.

  • I would go for Marsh Tit, simply by the fact that they are much more common.

    I agree with the other comments about how difficult they are to tell apart, they were actually only recognised as a seperate species a little over 100 years ago.

    Aswell as the subtle differences noted, I believe the way most birders tell them apart is by sound, obviously doesn't help with your photo (?), but have you tried the bird ID pages on this website, has a sound clip for both species:-

    http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/m/index.aspx

    I find the easy soution to this Marsh tit Willow tit problem is to refer to them all as " Mallow Tits "

     

     

    "Feed the birds, tuppence a bag" Mary Poppins

  • Unknown said:

    I find the easy soution to this Marsh tit Willow tit problem is to refer to them all as " Mallow Tits "

     

    Hi ND, that gave me an early morning chuckle - what a brilliant idea! There you are Gary, problem solved...

    The necessity of bird-watching is a really good reason for avoiding all forms of housework.

    The dust will still be there tomorrow - the birds may not be!

  • I always thought they were Wish Tits - you know, as in Wish Tit was that???

    Laurence

  • LOL at that too! This could run and run.

    The necessity of bird-watching is a really good reason for avoiding all forms of housework.

    The dust will still be there tomorrow - the birds may not be!

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