Having seen reports of Bearded Tits being seen at Fleetwood Marsh Nature Reserve early last week and having failed to see any on a number of visits to Leighton Moss I decided to try my luck last Thursday morning. It was a freezing cold but sunny day and the lake that has a bridge across it was 90% iced over. I waited mid-way along the bridge and observed up to 10 Reed Buntings feeding on the Common Reed seeding heads. After waiting for just over an hour at 10:05 I saw my first ever Bearded Tit - a female, and shortly after a male. I saw 4 separate birds at any one time, but concluded that there were 5 in total as four (2m & 2f) had closed silver rings on their right legs, but one other female was ring less. They were also feeding in the sunlight at the lakeside edge of the reeds; at 10:45 they disappeared into the reeds. I have been speculating as to where they have come from (there were some reports from that site in late November, but none before this), my first thoughts were that they could have been from Leighton Moss, but I understand that the birds there have a number of multi-coloured rings fitted so that rules those out. It is possible that they may have come from the continent in an irruption, but without being able to read the rings we may never know.
Bearded Tit (m)
Bearded Tit (f)
Bearded Tit (m)
Other birds seen were a Redshank and a Snipe in flight, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, a single female Teal and numerous Gulls. Following this I visited the Marine lakes in Fleetwood and observed up to 20 Turnstone, 3m and 1f Goldeneye, 2f Red Breasted Merganser, Mute Swans, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Redshank and a heron.
Goldeneye (m)
Bearded Tits
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- Little Egret
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- Peregrine
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- Avocet
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Re: Bearded Tits
Yes, great images, Len. Now find one in Yarrow Valley Park!
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- Avocet
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Re: Bearded Tits
Or croston reedbed ,great pictures len ive only ever seen them at leighton moss and breydon water near great yarmouth .
Re: Bearded Tits
Nice capture Len,not the easiest of birds to photo.
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- Little Egret
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Re: Bearded Tits
Thanks Peter, Neil, Gary and Peter. I felt privileged to see them.