Chiltern Birder

The selection of birds in the garden is becoming more varied. This morning I saw two tits on the feeder in the front garden, one a blue and the other with a black crown. The fine distinctions between marsh and willow tits are not somethat that I have committed to memory and the view wasn't cler anyway but the crown seemed sooty rather than glossy so I am guessing a willow. Long tailed tits are pretty active and redwings are still around in the nearby countryside. Finches seem to have abandoned the garden entirely.

I decided that it was time to start feeding seriously again and filled the main seed feeder with high energy mix and put a scoop of "blackbird mix" on the ground tray. The dunnock that was in the garden at the time showed a singular lack of interest. Later I heard the sound of a wood pigeon taking to the air and had a look out of the window. A pigeon was feeding from the ground tray and a starling was on the feeder. Within the next few minutes the feeder was visited by a pair of marsh or willow tits (too difficult to tell apart in the rather poor light this afternoon), a great tit and a blue tit. Altogether an encouraging start for the season.