UK - hampshire - fleet - unknown small black and white bird - January 25, 2023, morning (1 Viewer)

[charltones]

Apologies for the very low quality shots - these visitors came in fast, grabbed some peanuts and left before I had time to properly focus so I only took a single picture.
There were 3 of them, about the size of robin / great tit. Black and white mostly with a white flash right on the top of the head. Most similar to a coal tit, but not the same as you can see, and looked different from all my usual visitors. I went through the RSPB list of birds and couldn't see anything likely.

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello,
welcome to birdforum!

Your bird are Long-tailed Tits.
They are unique coloured birds with an absurd long tail

Outside breeding seasons they are highly sozial birds, often seen in mobile flocks. You will often first notice the calls.

 

[charltones]

Thank you Alexander!

 

[Kits]

Lovely to have visits from Long Tailed Tits. They are my favourite garden visitors.

 

[charltones]

They were lovely, I can't believe I've never seen them before today. Hoping they become regulars.

 

[pianoman]

They were lovely, I can't believe I've never seen them before today. Hoping they become regulars.

Once they know where there is a food source, they will be back regularly!

 

[delia todd]

High again Charltones.... one of our most delightful resident birds I think and always a wonderful to see.

You're so lucky to have them in your garden - I've only seen them once here. But they do go regularly to a feeding station I visit. You can read more about them in our Opus article. Do note that the ones north-eastern Europe have all white heads, and are even more charming LOL.

Long-tailed Tit - BirdForum Opus

www.birdforum.net

 

[Andy Hurley]

Welcome to Birdforum with some great garden visitors, Long-tailed Tits as answered above. They vary is colour across their range but the pattern is always the same

 

[Andy Hurley]

I see Delia answered with Opus link already, much better than my efforts, lol

 

[Kits]

They were lovely, I can't believe I've never seen them before today. Hoping they become regulars.

As you already know, they like peanuts. Mine also like suet balls.