Blue Tits - where are these birds
Aug 19th, 2008 by Birdy Trish
I have not seen a blue tit in or near my garden for ages.
I hope it’s because there is enough food for them in the countryside.
I hope they are having a good nesting season.
Last year was a really bad breeding year for Blue Tits.
Blue Tit breeding in 2007 - a bad year
Lets hope that in 2008 they managed to rear their young before this bad weather came
Tags: blue-tit
This year was an exceptional year, in my area of Aberdeenshire, for Blue Tits. we saw to broods from one nest box and a very successful number of fledglings flitting about our garden. it has been dramatically wet this year but the Blue Tit population is thriving here in Aberdeenshire.
Great Tits, Wrens, Green Finches, Gold Finches, Yellow Hammers and many more are in far greater numbers than previous years, here. Raptors, like Buzzards, Sparrow Hawks, Kestels are also doing very well, as are many Owls.
Hope this give consolation to those who have not seen many this year that they have not gone altogether, and I am sure will be back to you all next year.
All my best,
Andy.
Hi Trish,
This morning I had a group of 5 blue tits at my feeders. The first time I have seen any for several days. Last time was when a single one joined the long tailed tits. By the number of flies around here this past few weeks I think there is plenty of natural food when the weather is clear enough for those and the birds to fly around. I am sure they are out there somewhere. As they are always on the move it is often a question of being in the right place at the right time. Here, apart from the sparrows and starlings, most of the birds seem to prefer natural food and only visit the feeders to top up when they can’t find enough elsewhere.
Happy spotting - John
Andy, John. I have read your comments - just have not replied in this box.
John, Your feeder would be busy. I think you may be right. This is a time of year when there is food about. At one point the advice was not to feed birds in summer anyway wasn’t it? It’s just so strange not to see them. I wondered if the sparrows were keeping them away, but they never do any other time of the year. I have a nut feeder hanging in a tree and I noticed early this evening that a few nuts have gone - must be a small bird because it’s a caged feeder.
Andy - So glad things are good in Aberdeenshire and bird life is thriving. I bet it’s good to see. I think maybe the wet weather came earlier last year and that is why it was a bad breeding year for Blue Tits.
All the best. It’s good to know other folks like wild birds and take an interest. Cheers.