Loads Of Bluetits

[Mj56]

We have several feeders with varying food and I’ve never seen so many bluetits and coaltis in my life but they eat all day, is this normal? We still get other birds at certain times of the day especially earlier and later in the day, but only when the tits have gone is this why? I enjoy watching them but are they discouraging others ?

[hellywelly4]

I wouldn’t have thought so. I get them and other birds on the feeders at the same time. Just enjoy and think yourself very lucky!!!

[hereIam]

I'm missing my blue tits at the moment, they seem to have vanished. Sparrows are eating everything in my small garden these days, they are like a plague of locusts !! I know the blue tits will be back, it's just when. I find this happens all the time.

[Tilly2]

They're a law unto themselves, birds. They just do what they need to do, when they need to do it.

[Mozz71]

Brings back memories of my Grandparents' house out in the country when I was a wee nibbler. Blue tits, Coal tits, Great tits, even the occasional Long-Tailed tit. Happy days.

[Chipchopper]

Pretty much the same in my neck of the woods 8-10 bluetits at a time but only 1 coaltit that comes regularly.
They do seem to get quarrelsome and defensive over food. A small group of long tails will pop in at times.
I find it very relaxing, just to sit and watch them close up.

[TonyV]

Sore a bluetit at my feeder earlier not a common sight.

[ladybirder]

Mj56, Bluetits are pretty much at the bottom of the bird food chain at the feeders, being so small, so they won't be stopping the bigger birds. They'll come when they want to and the BT's will fly off for a while and watch for their chance to return. If a Nuthatch, for instance, was to approach your feeder, the tits would move out of its way rather quickly. Luck you, enjoy.

[ladybirder]

Lucky you grrrr!

[TonyV]

Lady birder it's amusing watching the local pigeons picking up the scraps, they can't land on bird feeder.

[Tilly2]

They do try though, don't they, Tony.

[TonyV]

Lady I'm not brilliant at bird spotting but did see a nuthatch the other day, and a regular Robin that comes for left over fishing maggots.

[TonyV]

Yes Tilly2 my neighbours have a huge bush which I think bluetits are residing in.

[ladybirder]

Tony how lovely. I haven't seen one since 2006 when I moved from a house which had a garden backing onto farmland.
Good on you for feeding your unwanted maggots to the Robins. x

[TonyV]

Ladybirder the bird boxes that I've made get used as well, thinking of trying to installing remote video cam into next one.

[TonyV]

For those with a DIY penchant this is how to do it.

https://www.rspb.org.uk/fun-and-learning/for-families/family-wild-challenge/activities/build-a-birdbox/

[Mj56]

Ladybirder, we are lucky, get loads of robins too and a nuthatch other day, unfortunately not at home. We have a caravan and a conifer at Edge of patio and you can see the tits high up in the tree waiting then sometimes a dozen on fat balls all at once, then a horrid pigeon will clean up!

[10ClarionSt]

We see lots of blue tits here. And bull finches. We still see the barn owl on our fence at night occasionally.

[ladybirder]

Ooo Tony do get a camera in your bird box. You'll have great fun like a friend on mine who watches it through a TV in her kitchen. Spends so many happy hours there.

Poor pigeons get a bad press mj but they do clear up the mess from the floor. Better them than rats:-)

[10ClarionSt]

Pigeons are vermin, like all birds, LB. Who remembers walking through Piccadilly in Manchester back in the sixties when you could hardly see the buildings for pigeons and sparrows? It was a right mess. Not quite as bad as that place in Italy, but it was still pretty bad.

[Mj56]

Yes you’re right Ladybirder, a small price to pay the pigeons do clean up well