The Bluetits are fairly regular visitors throughout the year, nesting in at least one neighbour's garden.
We put up a nesting box of our own and, although there was some interest shown in August last year, the box remains empty.
The difference in colouring of the two birds pictured below suggests to me that the one in the foreground is a youngster.
Photographs - (above)September 2002, (left) - June 2002
This picture also illustrates the different, somewhat washed out, colouring of the Juvenile.
Photograph (left) - July 2004
Before long though, the first signs of the adult plumage start to show. If you enlarge these pictures you can see the blue streaks in the crown and the yellow colour developing on the breast.
Photographs (right) - August 2006
Of course, not all the blue tits are to be found in the garden. This one, with crest raised and feathers plumped, was singing vigorously in a tree at Keyhaven. As I held the button down for a second shot, he took flight.
