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Coal Tits and Nuthatches (1 Viewer)

david2004

Well-known member
My Garden list isn't bad, with 43 species. One thing I've noticed though is two fairly common birds are missing from it - Coal Tits and Nuthatches.

Is there a reason for this? Have the suffered declines at all? If not, how can I attract them to the garden?
 
Not in decline with me David, 3 or 4 nuthatches, and a good half a dozen coals tits, with the marsh tits numbering more than that.
 
Depends how close you are to woodland containing Nuthatches - I live less than a mile from suitable woodland but I've only ever seen one Nuthatch in a nearby street on one occasion in 25 years.

I get one or two Coal Tits coming to the feeders in winter but there are a number of large trees in mature gardens in the vicinity which I think helps.
 
Thanks Helen and Adey. I live directly next to a copse with mature Oak trees, but have never seen any here. Also some other woodland birds I would expect to see. Oh well. Thanks again.
 
I've seen Nuthatches expanding their range big-style in my region over the last 3-4 years. You do need a small woodland or at least a decent band of largish trees for them to turn up in your neighbourhood.
I get plenty of Coal Tits around my garden, and the only 'suitable' habitat in the vicinity is a long row of mature Leylandii (I'm talking 40ft'ish high). Considering the bad press that Leylandii get I think they are OK (they also appear to support/encourage Goldcrests, a lot of Starlings, Woodpigeons, Collared Doves and one year several Redpolls!)
 
I've got lots of woodland surrounding me, and have always had a nuthatch coming to the feeders until the end of last Autumn. Not a sign since, I was hoping they would return when the siskins and goldfinches came back, but no luck. It's the first time in 11 years of living in Wales that I haven't had any nuthatches. :(
 
Oh lucky you. Oh envious me! I don't know if I have enough woodland round me to support a Nuthatch, though there are plenty of stands of trees in the vicinity. I am not sure what it takes.

As for the Coal Tits and conifers, I have already posted a thread on the loss of my Coal Tits. My 40-odd foot Leylandii where I presume they nested last year is still there, but they have gone. Oh woe is me.......

Are there any signs etc locally that I should be looking out for? Any tips to attract an unknown Nuthatch quantity? My garden has mixed hedges alround, and a very large willow tree plus the conifer, and gradens either side have trees in them.

Any tips or offers would be greatfully received.

Regards,
 
Thanks Edrick. It's weird that you lost your Coal Tits. Maybe it WAS because of the Leylandii. Still, all is not lost. They might return one day!
 
There's no leylandi around here, except my pathetic excuses for some (I bought 6 little 12" ones from the garden centre about 18 months ago to fill in some gaps down the bank between me and the field, and they are now about 20"!) so it can't be them that attracts coal tits. Today I got within 6 feet of what I thought was a coal tit on one of my peanut feeders and to my delight saw it was my little Marsh tit, who has been absent for a couple of weeks.
 
Both are increasing in Britain. But Nuthacthes are extremely sedentary, so they don't often go roaming like other garden species. Unless you're next to a nuthatch wood, you wont get them. Once in a blue moon, you'll see a wandering bird away from occupied woods.

Adult Coal Tits are also quite sedentary in England and will often remain on their territory for life, just ranging a bit further in winter. Dispersing juveniles might pop in in autumn and winter. Again, if you've not got them breeding nearby, you're unlikely to have wandering birds passing through very often.
 
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