willow or marsh tit

actionfinch · #1 (**permalink**) 29-10-2010, 05:58 PM

Out today walking the dog , and i took him and the missus a different way, ( mainly to do a bit of birdspotting ) A nice walk and just nearing the end i spotted some movement in the trees binos up and focused in and there she/he was ( i didnt have my camera sorry) i know its one or the other but have no idea which . its looked greyish and was stocky like a bluetit and not longish like a great tit if you can understand what im saying.The usual black cap on it being in the trees made it a little darker and it was on the move a bit aswell. I heard a little call but when i got home to see if i could recognise it , i couldnt.I only see the one i know it wasnt a black cap..
what can i safely assume it was...I hope to go back out tommorrow and see if i can see it again

RKB · #2 (**permalink**) 29-10-2010, 06:06 PM

There are no Willow Tits in or anywhere near Herts, but Marsh are quite widespread in the county.

actionfinch · #3 (**permalink**) 29-10-2010, 06:20 PM

Brill RKB that was in fact my next point of call to find out what species are in my area .. brilliant..

my first marsh tit

Picidae · #4 (**permalink**) 29-10-2010, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by actionfinch

I only see the one i know it wasnt a black cap..
what can i safely assume it was...I hope to go back out tommorrow and see if i can see it again

Did it look like this?

Google Image Result for http://www.bobperryonline.co.uk/mediac/400_0/media/CoalTit4.jpg

watsthat · #5 (**permalink**) 29-10-2010, 06:46 PM

Could it have been a Coal Tit

Pete

thebeard · #6 (**permalink**) 29-10-2010, 06:57 PM

hopefully if you have another look, it will make its voice heard - the best way of id IMO - unless they're silent! think of a little sneeze coming from a blue tit or great tit and you're nearly there

have a listen through these to familiarise yourself
xeno-canto/Europe :: bird sounds from Europe :: marsh tit

and this, just to be safe!!
xeno-canto/Europe :: bird sounds from Europe :: willow tit

actionfinch · #7 (**permalink**) 29-10-2010, 08:04 PM

defo wasnt a coal tit i see a rear view and it had no white patch ..i was going to go on the call site u mentioned and i will after this thread... cheers

actionfinch · #8 (**permalink**) 29-10-2010, 08:10 PM

now hearing these ... the willow tit one
Willow Tit Parus montanus (0:18) David Marques 30-07-2010 20:30 Switzerland Turbenriet, Grabs SG, Switzerland 1310 contact call (no score) Ssp: montanus. [options] [discuss] [sono]
XC59715

( i copied and pasted the recording its the bottom one of the page
it sounded like that...just goin to have a listen to the marsh again

actionfinch · #9 (**permalink**) 29-10-2010, 08:18 PM

it wasnt the whole call thats the thing if it was it would have been easier to ID
acording to the Hertfordshire Bird Atlas New Winter Atlas (2007/08-2010/11)
the nash mills area have marked marsh tit as probably absent . but like RKB said only three areas have reported seeing willow tits in the whole of herts
and a considrable more for marsh tits...

the evidence is stacking against the willows...

actionfinch · #10 (**permalink**) 02-11-2010, 11:02 PM

went out saturday pm for a couple of hours and found the marsh tit and its friend , i see thepair of them going back and forth ,so i set my camera up and waited. im still a novice in the camera world and especialy bird photography. I was well annoyed when i got home to find the focus picked up the bushes in the background, but i hope i got enough to show you that it was a marsh tit.