The Lincolnshire Bird Club

Our Ringing Group only ringed 3 this year as well as 7 re-traps. This is by far our lowest annual total. Is this just a blip or have any other ringers/birders experienced the same.

I have been birding in Lincs. since mid-june '08 and have neither heard nor seen the species.

Richard...

Evening Richard,

Though Willow Tits are declining at an alarming rate there are a few places in Lincs where you should catch up with them - Far Ings & Messingham to name but two. The Walesby area is also reliable. It certainly helps to know the call as its this which normally alerts you to their presence.


regards


Chris

Hi Chris,

Thanks for that. Having lived in Spain for 12 years, where the spp is absent, it will be nice to re-connect with it.

I visited Far Ings a couple of weeks ago, but no luck.

I do remember, pre Spain, when as a regular birder in the Cotswold area that the spp was then in serious decline.

Richard...

Beware though that Marsh Tit also gives a Chick-a-dee-dee-dee call. I didn't realise this till I got the sound approach to birding.

_________________
John

http://thedrunkbirder.wordpress.com/

http://www.johnhague.co.uk

Had a Willow at MSQ in December unless of course it was a Marsh close to the meadow that backs onto the Grebe Lake.

_________________
GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

Stuart,

I've ringed a total of 4 in the last ten years. In the late 70's I used to ring 20 to 30 annually. Willow Tits have all but disappeared in the south west of Lincolnshire. Still have Marsh Tits around though in the major woodlands.

Alan

I think that i have seen a few Willow Tits but I have got a bit confused with the call of them both. Does the Marsh Tit do that naisily call or is that the Willow Tit? I saw two at the new Far Ings Visitor's centre out of one of the windows over looking the bird feeding station.
Matt

_________________
Wildlife brings a smile to my face. Especially Pied Wagtails.

Hi Malcolm,

I have always found the tri-syllabic 'buzz' or 'nasal' call of the Willow Tit to be reliably diagnostic. Good luck.

Richard..

HI Richard
Thanks for that. i will try it out when i am around Far Ings.
Cheers
Matt

_________________
Wildlife brings a smile to my face. Especially Pied Wagtails.

Hi all,
Saw a few Willow Tits the other day at far Ings. They are definetley Willow tits as I tried that technique. Thanks Richard
Matt

_________________
Wildlife brings a smile to my face. Especially Pied Wagtails.

Since I started this topic I have been in touch with Richard Broughton at the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in Oxford who has been studying Marsh Tit and Willow Tit distribution. He predicts an imminent terminal decline of Willow Tits in Lincolnshire and that their range will be limited to Derby/Notts/Sth Yorks. He informs me that there are virtually none south of the Lincolnshire Wolds apart from a few in the Lincolnshire Limewoods. A Sobering thought.

Stuart

For what reasons does Richard Broughton expect a 'imminent terminal decline' for Willow Tits in Lincs? They are still relatively 'common' at Whisby and their status here has not changed in the 5 years I have been working there. I can see no reason(s) why this will change in the future.

Regards

Grahame

Thanks for that, Grahame. I understand that he has been collating data on their numbers and distribution for several years and has drawn this conclusion. I will Email him and get a more definitive response.

It would appear that Willow Tits are now one of the rarest Lincolnshire breeding birds - 8 times less of them than Tree Sparrows! It is strongly recommended that, where they are resident, no nest boxes should be erected unless they are specifically for that species (ie full of wood shavings etc.) If anyone requires further information, please contact me by pm