Long tailed tits

[SGHILLUSTRATION]

We often get a flock of Long Tailed Tits passing through the garden, they land on the tree with the feeders but flit off straight away. Whats good to feed them to encourage them to hang about a bit longer?

[pressld2]

They're mainly insect eaters, only occasionally taking seeds. Perhaps some of those suet blocks with insects in might tempt them, or possibly mealworms.

Dave P.

[Durrell]

I've had them feeding on peanuts and fat balls but they still only tend to hang around for a minute or two before flying off.

[GTH]

We have a water feature in the garden and they stop for quite a while while having a bath as well as feeding from the seed feeders. The feeders can look as though they are covered in long tails, however I feel it`s the bath that they really enjoy.

Hope this helps,

Geoff

[htcdude]

Same with me. I've had Long-tailed Tit twice in the garden, both times on the fatballs for a minute or so, then gone.

Nige

[Billabong Karen]

Same here - about 5 - 10 of them turn up, feed quickly, and then move on... Have just installed a bird bath this year, so shall look forward to seeing them using it. So far it's just been great tits and blue tits in there.

[wezwez]

I have never managed to see them in my garden despite my best efforts, but i recently found them in bushes on my local canal and theres alot more than i thought. Not very helpful i know but it may be another option to see them.

Steve

[JeffH]

We've just had a small flock of 8 - 10 of them pass through the garden - as they do most days - but they rarely stay still for long and are constantly flitting amongst the trees and bushes, which makes them tricky to photograph. However, here's a shot I managed to get last winter -



As for encouraging them to hang around, ours occasionally feed on the nut feeders but rarely for more than a minute or two

Jeff
(Schedule 1 Licence holder for Kingfishers, Barn Owls and Avocets)

[Billabong Karen]

OH, that's a LOVELY photograph!! Well done

[Madmills]

They adore suet, the blocks i buy always attract them into the garden here.

Also, there's a rowan tree infront of my house and in there i've got seed feeders with sunflower hearts dispensed and they'll eat the bits that have dropped and landed on the branches - in both instances they linger around for several minutes before they fly off again.