Why this tit is a hit with me

IF you feed the birds in your garden you’ve probably noticed this is an exciting time of year because new species start turning up.

Towards the end of the winter, supplies of natural food are starting to run out and species that would normally shy away from feeders and bird tables are forced to queue up to join the robins, sparrows and blue tits that are regular users .

I’m still waiting for the siskins. They’re usually here by now but there must be enough small seeds left in the birches and alders round about to keep them going. But for the past week or so a flock of long-tailed tits have been crawling over my feeders, looking like pale pink flying mice.