The Long-Tailed Tit

Today I was working in my study when I saw a group of about 5 or 6 peculiar pink birds dash past. I grabbed the camera and went outside to get a few shots. The flitted up and down through a few trees and stayed for a few minutes, allowing me to get a picture or two, although at 3pm in the Winter, the light was fading fast. On checking the camera I discovered they were long-tailed tits.

This is the first time I have seen these birds in the garden and they were a very excitable bunch, moving around frequently, singing loudly, and before long moving on. Apparently they prefer woodland and hedgerows, in general, to gardens. They are colourful and unusual shaped birds and certainly in my experience nowhere near as common as the ubiquitous Blue Tit or Great Tit.

You can see they are well camouflaged for the dark, winter woodland environment; with black and grey tones and strips of colour.

[Close Up]

[Zoomed Out - Can you spot it?] 

(RSPB Illustration)