I too have noticed that the Long Tail Tits are fewer here - normally they arrive in a flock of 6 plus but this year, so far at least, just a couple of birds at any one time.
I have a small flock that always drop into my hydrangea Bush right beneath my living room window. They spend a couple minutes foraging, it's great to watch them. On the bird flu, remember to regularly clean the feeders. Trichomonosis which affects finches in particular has been the main cause of decline for greenfiches and chaffinches. Bird flu doesn't hit the small birds as bad as our seabirds as there aren't as vast numbers i. E hundreds/thousands of birds mixing in huge densities. It still is a threat to all birds and we should be cautious.
I have just started feeding the wild birds again after stopping due to the horrendous outbreak of Avian Flu down here. My feeding station is like Piccadilly Central. I have a wide selection of birds but one of my favourites is the flock of long tailed tits, usually around 15-20n of them, which arrive together each morning. Lovely. I am delighted this year, for the first time it looks as if I have a pair of blackbirds nesting in the ivy covering the old privy, also, I think a pair of tits or sparrows, also possibly a pair of pigeons have all decided the ivy is for them this year. I put up 2 new boxes and both have blue tits in residence already. I couldn't be happier. A few days ago a hen pheasant visited my neighbours front area and a couple of days later I had a male one sitting on my conservatory step, looking in. He was gorgeous in his full plumage. The "stick on the window feeder" is being used regularly by robins and tits now. Some stay and have a good feed, others fly in, grab some morsel and fly off immediately. It is fascinating to see them so close.
I was wondering how far apart are you bird boxes?
I have one in my small garden which I think already attracted a pair of blue tits, but I also have a spare bird box, but not sure if it’s a good idea to place both of them in the same garden.
As long as the boxes are several feet apart they will probably both be used. I have 2 on a fence approx. 8ft apart and 2 on a shed, one on the front and one around the corner on the end and both are being used, about 14 ft apart.
Thank you so much for your response @Joyce Goldenlily that’s great news.
Looks like I definitely have enough room to put up both bird boxes. Now fingers crossed the blue tits notice and use them. There isn’t many of them around here unfortunately.
We usually have a family of long-tailed tits living under our solar panels (we have an old pantile roof so there are spaces) but so far, unfortunately, we haven't seen any this year so far.
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I very rarely see tits in my garden, except for mine in summer..
We get some here, especially little gangs along with other tits in winter.
They are so hard to photograph well.
Not sure that I've ever seen one in the flesh
I have one in my small garden which I think already attracted a pair of blue tits, but I also have a spare bird box, but not sure if it’s a good idea to place both of them in the same garden.
that’s great news.