Bearded Tits have started gritting early this year at Leighton Moss RSPB Reserve. The first birds on the grit trays were reported on the 15th with up to 9 by the 18th. This is two weeks earlier than in 2014 when the first birds were recorded on the 27th. Last September was warm with lots of insects around, this last week mornings have been cold and insects seem scarce. Bearded Tits feed on insects in summer but change to reed seeds in autumn for which they need grit in their gizzard to grind up the harder reed seeds. It appears as though the diet change is underway earlier this year.
Today several small groups were gritting on both the trays and the gravel path. We got the colour ring combinations of 10 birds of which 8 were adults. A tendency for adults to grit first has been noted in previous years. All 8 adults had been recorded gritting on the trays last year. Birds often grit in pairs for in Bearded Tits there is strong pair fidelity and young birds appear to pair up early in life.
At the moment most sightings have been between 8.30 and 10.00 although today a pair were still on the trays at 12:15. The trays are located just off the Public Causeway.
John
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