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Post by NellyDee on Jan 10, 2016 16:51:23 GMT
Any idea how long blue tits live in the wild? I am almost certain that this wee fellow is the same one along with partner that has been nesting on the veranda for the last couple of years. Has a strange bobbing head movement, which is why I think it is the same one.  Blue tit in azalea by Helen Skelton, on Flickr
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Post by accipiter on Jan 10, 2016 17:04:03 GMT
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Post by dogghound on Jan 10, 2016 17:07:48 GMT
Any side on shots of the same bird(s)?
They rarely live more than two years, some individuals will get to 5-6, think the oldest recorded was 9 years old (but an extreme exception). As a general rule with blue tits of a brood of 8-10, 1-2 will survive to breed, then 50% of breeding birds die each year following this. So as with a lot of small birds the odds are stacked against them.
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Post by NellyDee on Jan 11, 2016 10:44:02 GMT
Any side on shots of the same bird(s)? They rarely live more than two years, some individuals will get to 5-6, think the oldest recorded was 9 years old (but an extreme exception). As a general rule with blue tits of a brood of 8-10, 1-2 will survive to breed, then 50% of breeding birds die each year following this. So as with a lot of small birds the odds are stacked against them. Have put link to my album as some side views of jays and blue tits - the one in the azalea is the one I was talking about. all the photos were taken on Sunday determined to get photos of jays and ended up taking shots of some of the other birds - all taken through windows- too cold to go outside. flic.kr/s/aHsksob1D1
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Post by dogghound on Jan 11, 2016 15:28:18 GMT
Ok cheers, was wondering if I could age it but not enough to go on due to angles. Also can't zoom right in. Can be difficult in photos on blue tits.
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Post by NellyDee on Jan 11, 2016 16:53:19 GMT
Ok cheers, was wondering if I could age it but not enough to go on due to angles. Also can't zoom right in. Can be difficult in photos on blue tits. Um any clues on ageing? Mind you all the birds are really fluffed up at the moment - temperatures here very low, Only 0C when I took photos. |
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Post by dogghound on Jan 11, 2016 22:59:46 GMT
Blue tits are quite easy as they show a clear moult limit in the wings. The primary coverts (all birds) and some of the great coverts (in some birds) will be retained in 1st winters. These are a greeny blue colour unlike the pure blue of an adult. You can see them in the field if you look closely. I will try and post a picture when I'm on the PC.
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Post by accipiter on Jan 12, 2016 8:06:39 GMT
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Post by rowanberry on Jan 12, 2016 9:10:05 GMT
You got some nice photos- what a lot of chaffinches you have! (I get on average about one a year, if that.) I didn't know that woodpeckers would eat from a tray like that. He seems to be enjoying that suet block!  |
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Post by NellyDee on Jan 12, 2016 10:02:24 GMT
Thank you dogghound and accipiter for marvellous link, I will have to start learning. I am blessed with a huge amount of birds. Rowanberry I have 4 GSWs, they feed off the tray, off the bird table and have learnt to get into the squirrels feeders to get the nuts. As for chaffinch - scream! at the last count there were 150- think they are the only birds that did really well up here last season. I have got 23 different species of birds visiting/living here. Entirely my fault I started off with one feeding station and now have three - think news got around that there was a mug putting out food.
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Post by firefall on Jun 5, 2018 8:34:05 GMT
Hi. This is my first time on this forum. I hope I'm posting this in the right place. I have two very small weak looking blue tits left in my nest box. All the others have fledged. I haven't seen the parents around and they are not coming back to the box. Is there anything I can do to save these last two blue tits as it looks like they might perish.
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Post by rowanberry on Jun 6, 2018 20:16:00 GMT
Hi. This is my first time on this forum. I hope I'm posting this in the right place. I have two very small weak looking blue tits left in my nest box. All the others have fledged. I haven't seen the parents around and they are not coming back to the box. Is there anything I can do to save these last two blue tits as it looks like they might perish. Hello and welcome to Wabi, Firefall...
unfortunately, I don't think there is anything you can do if the parents have abandoned these last two chicks. They mentioned on SpringWatch about how bluetits have large broods, and that often several will perish. Especially with the cooler weather we've had this spring- there just isn't enough food to go around right now.
They might have another brood later on- I know it's harsh, but nature can often be like that.
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