Our first three catches of the season at Leighton Moss RSPB resulted in the capture of 24 juvenile Bearded Tits. This compares with just 48 in the whole of the 2013 season and suggests excellent productivity. Young Bearded Tits can be aged by the colour of their iris and almost all the ones we caught were from the first brood which fledged in late April/early May. Six of the 24 had been ringed as first brood nestlings. Shortly after fledging Bearded Tits form apparent pairs. Almost all the birds we caught were in pairs, interestingly three of the nestlings were from the same brood but they had linked up with birds from other broods. In previous years we have caught juveniles throughout the summer and occasionally into early October, so all being well we should have many more yet to catch.
Census work on Bearded Tits is very difficult as they do not sing or behave territorially, so our RAS study gives a good guide to the size of the breeding population. From sightings of colour ringed birds and our re-trapping we have so far identified 9 adult males and 8 females but we continue to trace more adults as the season goes on right up to grit tray sightings in October and November.
John
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