This evening, Michelle reported a dying Long-tailed Tit just outside the house on the path to the station. She was in a rush to get the train so couldn’t stop, but by the time I got there it was dead and being aggressively pecked in the back of a neck by another bird that was on top of it. I assume this was a result of a territorial display, though could not completely work out whether the bird was actually trying to mate with it.
It was in good condition (still warm when I picked it up) and ringed, so will be interesting to find out where it came from.
A Blackcap was singing in the garden. Shepreth L-moor was quiet apart from a few Linnets and a couple of late Fieldfares.
Edit (16/04/2010): The Long-tailed Tit (number CNA973) was ringed as an adult in Marcus Kohler's garden on 07/09/2009. Long-tailed Tits can't be aged after their post-juvenile moult, and cannot be sexed at that time of year.
