Blue Tits, Great Tits and Coal Tits.

[Johnboy]

I am amazed that I have newly fledged birds in evidence I suspect that these are a third brood which to me is unusual.
Perhaps it has something to do with the severe winter that we experienced early this year.
What I am wondering is if these young birds are the progeny of the first brood hatched back in the spring or are they from mature parents.
Any comment welcomed.
JB.

[glallotments]

According to BTO blue tits don't breed until they are one year old so it could be that a clutch has failed and the parent birds are trying again!

http://blx1.bto.org/birdfacts/results/bob14620.htm

[Johnboy]

Hi Glallotments,
I am aware of the BTO information but I have never known a third brood from Tits in all the years I have been bird watching or known very young birds at this time of the year.
As far as I am aware all the breeding pairs have been very successful this year but I am talking of several new families. They are all in their original feathers and all downy. Between them they have eaten a whole container of nuts since Tuesday morning I have refilled it this evening. There are up to eight birds trying to feed at any one time all day long.
Most strange.
JB.

[Geoff]

We have lots too. I remembered we had some coconuts left over from a shy at the village sports day so I have been cutting them in half and hanging them up. They strip the two halves completely in two days. That's with peanut feeders and a daily fat ball available as well. The peanuts are usually occupied by young woodpeckers with a mixed flock of sparrows and chaffinches below them picking up the crumbs. Must clean the window and see if I can get a photo.

[Nature's Babe]

Starlings seem to be recovering too, always know when they visit, they're so noisy.

[glallotments]

Hardly any starlings in our garden or plot but we do have lots of sparrows.

[PLUMPUDDING]

There are also coal tits and long tailed tits here and a lone Willow tit tagging along with a dozen or more juvenile blue tits. In fact all the young ones seem to have formed a large flock and zoom about the garden en masse.

There aren't any late fledglings of the blue tits, but a gold finch has brought her fluffy little brood this morning and they were all doing the wing fluttering and waiting to be fed.

[retropants]

i heard a baby robin a few weeks ago, that's the third batch this year as far as i can tell!

[Nature's Babe]

It's good to know the birds are recovering, I haven't seen any long tailed tits, though we had loads before the winter snow. Climate change is having its effects, on plants too, my pear tree has mature fruits and a second batch coming along where it blossomed at the branch tips for a second time in july. Last year my apple tree had some blossom in autumn!

[alan refail]

I don't know how many broods we have had this year, but the young blue, coal and great tits are here in great numbers and looking very handsome, as are the siskins.

[Johnboy]

Hi Alan,
In my memory this year runs a parallel with 1947. I have been thinking back and I can only remember broods coming so late in the year this year and in 1947. I suspect that those fledging now are either a third or may even be a fourth brood.
JB.

[Arnie]

Hi Johnboy,

Would this have anything to do bad winters, I know this years was bad but I was told that 1947 was horrendous.

Regards

Kevin

[Johnboy]

Hi Kevin,
It very much looks like that the birds know they are depleted in numbers after the harsh winter and they extend their sexual activities.
Lucky little buggers!
JB.

[Elle's Garden]

Hello Johnboy,

I would be most interested to know what the weather was like in the winter of 1947 - 1948 if you can remember?

[alan refail]

Hi EG

It was actually 1946-47.

A couple of links for you:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_of_ ... ed_Kingdom

http://www.topfoto.co.uk/gallery/1947Winter/default.htm