Speculative Willow Tit

[Jackaroo]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

That's what I thought, but Jack knows his birds..

Let's leave my sex life out of this Madam.

[Jackaroo]

Originally Posted by bigdave60dog

Where about are you?
If it had white nape as well it would be a Coal Tit.
If the call is not heard, sensible ornithologists call them "Mallow Tits". It being too unreliable to tell them apart by sight only. I watched "Mallow tits" on feeders in Corpach two weeks ago and thought that I could hear Willow Tit. The woods above Corpach would be just about right for this species so i did not doubt that this species was in the vicinity.
Dave

North East Angus,Approx fifteen miles north and seven miles inland of Dundee.Way the other side of the country from Corpach.No white nape. I didn't get a good look at it and I was binocularising it from behind the kitchen window so I didn't hear the call but I know it doesn't fit the obvious suggestions and I hope the wee beggar comes back and gives me a better look. Thanks for your interest everybody.

[Jackaroo]

To recap: It was a small bird,about the size of a tit.It was in a rowan tree about twenty metres away and mostly obscured by leaves.I got the binoculars on it but it only gave me a clear view of the head and shoulders and fleeting impressions of the body. No view of the tail so only got an impression of length and as the head was mostly turned away when it was visible I got no clear view of the beak and eye. Definitely no white nape and the shoulder and upper body was olive-ish browny but no detail of plumage.I was looking for the twin wing bars and am pretty certain they were absent. While the little I'd seen was fresh in my mind's eye I looked in my R.S.P.B. field guide and the nearest I could come was either Marsh or Willow Tit or Pied Wagtail. I know that Marsh and Willow are notoriously difficult to differentiate between but I'd be very happy if it was either because they're both so bloody unlikely in this part of Scotland.I'm not claiming it was any of these because I just didn't see enough and it was gone before I could get to my camera but what I will do is try to get hold of a local birder if I can and get their opinion.I will keep you posted either way.I really hope it comes back cos it's driving my wife nuts having me eat my dinner standing at the kitchen window with my bins and camera at either side of the plate. Thanks to all for your comments am now away to my bed cos I'm pretty sure it's not nocturnal.

[Kayleigh]

Jack, Willow tits are found as far as Glasgow but Marsh tits are not.
Hope this helps..

[Jackaroo]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

Jack, Willow tits are found as far as Glasgow but Marsh tits are not.
Hope this helps..

Cheers El,am quite prepared to accept it may have been a total aberration on my part,either that or it's been blown up here by the weather.Will never know for sure unless it comes back!All I can do is keep an eye on the feeders and keep my fingers crossed.

[bigdave60dog]

Originally Posted by RKB

Any photos? This is way out of range for both species (though a relict Willow population is possible). It'd be like seeing Crested Tits at Newcastle.

There are just a handful of Marsh Tits in the far SE of Scotland (around Coldstream area), and a small population of Willows in Dumfries. But that's pretty much it. Although they do occur as very rare vagrants elsewhere in Scotland.

I didn`t know that. I don`t know what else they could be though. I do know both species from my time in Warwickshire. I did not take that much interest at the time. I will be down that way in the next couple of months so will look a bit harder next time.
Dave