Willow or Marsh Tit

[Ollie]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

Without hearing the call- which I think is the best way of distinguishing them-I think these 2 species can be the most difficult of UK birds to tell apart. I would go with Marsh Tit too as it lacks the bull headed appearance + lack of pale wing panel which would suggest Marsh to me.

Thanks aeshna. I agree without hearing the call they are very difficult to tell apart and unfortunately they were very quiet.

I think we are all agreed it's a Marsh anyway.

Thanks everyone.

[Jonathan]

Originally Posted by Ollie

Thanks aeshna. I agree without hearing the call they are very difficult to tell apart and unfortunately they were very quiet.

I think we are all agreed it's a Marsh anyway.

Thanks everyone.

This might be of interest Ollie:

blx1.bto.org/pdf/ringmigration/24_2/broughton1.pdf

Cheers
Jonathan

[Ollie]

Originally Posted by Jonathan

This might be of interest Ollie:

blx1.bto.org/pdf/ringmigration/24_2/broughton1.pdf

Cheers
Jonathan

Thanks Jonathan an interesting article.

Unless the light is playing tricks in the photo it further strengthens the case for Marsh Tit.

[ChrisJB]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

I would go with Marsh Tit too as it lacks the bull headed appearance + lack of pale wing panel which would suggest Marsh to me.

Though not 100 per cent, this photo looks like what I would say as likely to be a marsh tit, for the reasons Aeshna has said. I know they do overlap in places, but my experiences of both species here in Lancashire is that marsh tits tend to prefer mature woodland (eg the Silverdale area, where they are reasonably common), whilst willow prefer a marshy, willow-carr type habitat (eg Pennington Flash, where they are often seen).

Regards, Chris