Bumper year for tits?

[Richard Baber]

I reckon I've got at least double the usual amount of great tits, blue tits and coal tits in my garden this winter. I've certainly never seen three coal tits at the same time before. Everything else seems to be turning up in usual numbers.

I guess it could be a result of the early cold snap or maybe the local Sparrowhawks have had a bad year. Anybody else seeing this?

[Acipiter]

Saw a s/hawk take a blackbird yesterday, so that's one that's still in the land of the living. I have had quite a few great tits in the garden,but not many blue tits, long tailed tits are doing fine too.

[Lindsay-c]

Think you could be right... saw 2 blue tits and a great tit in my garden yesterday and I very rarely have seen them in my garden before...

[aeshna5]

Recent BTO data showed at least Blue + Great Tits had the best breeding season for a few years.

[The_Doctor]

I reckon you're right, seems to be a lot more coal tits, great tits and blue tits about AND suddenly there's four - six long-tailed tits coming to the feeders so yes I've certainly seen an increase!

[rogpow]

Definitely more blue tits in my garden than usual this winter.

[Birdman1976]

I've certainly noticed a big increase in Blue tits in my garden this year. Regularly getting 10+ at any one time, which is much more than previous years. Great tits, coal tits and long tailed tits also all seem to be doing well.

Very quiet with Greenfinches and Song Thrushes though. Swings and roundabouts i suppose.

[Harold Smith]

This year I have had lots of Blue Tits compared to last year. Last week I had 10 Blue Tits, 6 Great Tits, 6 Long Tailed Tits and 3 Coal Tits. Apart from the Long Tailed Tits similar numbers of the other tits are in the garden most days.

Harold.

[The_Doctor]

Have you guys always had Long-tailed tits that have increased in number have they only just appeared this winter

[turkeyneck]

Agreed, I seem to be inundated with Blue Tits in the garden. Whilst I'm out walking in my lunch hour I can't remember when I've so many Thrushes also.