Blue Tits (Parus caeruleus) will be familiar to most people, and like the less familiar Coal Tit (Parus ater) will be noisy and active with their young. Even less common but worth looking out for is the Marsh Tit, (Parus palustris) found largely in deciduous woodland as well as parks and gardens.
Unlike the Blue Tit which is found in all parts of the woodland, as well as gardens and hedgerows, the Coal Tit and Marsh Tit have evolved to exploit different parts of woodland. The Coal Tit is found feeding in the tops of tall conifers where it uses its smaller, slender bill to prize seeds out of cones. The Marsh Tit feeds acrobatically ranging between the top canopy down to the lower undergrowth.
The Blue Tit vie with the Robin and Blackbird as our favourite garden bird and has had various nicknames such as Titmouse, Tom Tit and Jackie Bluecap which have now largely vanished from general use.
The name Coal Tit, originally spelt 'cole' tit refers to the black head that is broken by white lower cheeks and a long white stripe through the centre of the nape.
Any of the woodland and forest nature reserves visited will be inhabited by Blue Tits and if there are conifers, the Coal Tit. Marsh Tits are harder to find and can be identified by their explosive 'pitchoo' but is often confused for the related Willow Tit.
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