a gathering of tits

[turlough]

For once I had the camera ready when there was an invasion of Long-tailed tits at the feeding station outside my window.

Click to enlarge:

Comments

[weofodthignen]

Oh, aren't they pretty :-)

[turlough]

They're totally my favourite tit! I only get to see them close in winter when they come to the feeder. In summer they're high up in the birches all the time.

[shirebound]

Hooray! Dinner is served!

[turlough]

I'm glad I remember to fill up the feeders before the snow and cold arrived.

[antisocialite_forum]

Those markings are gorgeous. Do they have different winter and summer molts?

You got a great profile shot of the little guy flying to the feeder in the first picture.

- Ben

[turlough]

No, they look pretty much the same the year round. A lot of the non-migratory woodland birds here do.

I was suprised that the longtailed tits managed to even keep the blue tits away. Usually blue tits are the kings of the feeder despite their size :-)

[st_aurafina]

Oh, they're so cute, like little toy birds!

[turlough]

They're totally adorable!

[ozswede]

What luck to capture them in a group like that. We have half a dozen around our feeders, but they move all the time so it can be hard to get a group shot. We call them lollipop birds - so cute! ♥

[turlough]

I was incredibly lucky to get those shots! As you say, they're usually never still. Lollipop birds is a great name for them. My sister always says they look like little golf balls on sticks :-)

[shapinglight]

They are such pretty little birds. I've had lots of them in my garden this winter too. Ours are a little different to yours, though. Here in the UK, they have darker heads.

[turlough]

They're just so cute! That's so interesting about the darker plumage of the British birds. I checked Wikipedia last night and apparently yours is the most common European variant and the white-headed one is only dominant in the northern part of the continent.

[shapinglight]

Yes, that's my understanding too. :)

[yourlibrarian]

Ooh, nice to see these -- we don't have them here.

[turlough]

They're probably my favourite bird. There's something about the combination of small fluffy body and very long tail that I find just irresistible :-)

[alatefeline]

A good birbs. A very good birbs.

[turlough]

Exactly!

[cesy]

Nice!

[turlough]

I was so happy to finally get some good photos of them.

[thenewbuzwuzz]

So pretty. ^^

[turlough]

They're the most adorable little birds!