The garden owner tried for 3 weeks to get interest in this bird, local birders saw it last night, images taken this morning, access being arrange now but tricky location. Clearly a hybrid or [postscript, an escapee Yellow-breasted Tit !]
This looks like 'Pleske's Tit', which is a hybrid between Blue Tit and Azure Tit. They're not uncommon in the western part of Azure's range, and are vagrants to e.g. Holland and Denmark.
Beware that Azure and Pleske's are also kept in captivity, and are not guaranteed to be ringed, but this could be a good candidate for a vagrant. R Broughton
I think this is quite poor candidate for a vagrant. In Finland there's been at least 34 Azure Tit's and earliest autumn birds were seen 3th and 10th October. So seems really early for a vagrant (even hybrid), even Blue Tits are not yet in the move.
7 comments:
Can I ask what makes it clearly a hybrid? Is it the off-white colour of the cap? Every other feature seems to be azure.
Lovely bird either way.
The most obvious thing is probably the faint yellowish wash to the breast and underparts - pure Azure should be gleaming white.
Agree that's it's a cracking little bird though!
You say access is being arranged - I would love to see this bird. Will you be posting details of when and where and how the access is arranged?
This looks like 'Pleske's Tit', which is a hybrid between Blue Tit and Azure Tit. They're not uncommon in the western part of Azure's range, and are vagrants to e.g. Holland and Denmark.
Beware that Azure and Pleske's are also kept in captivity, and are not guaranteed to be ringed, but this could be a good candidate for a vagrant.
R Broughton
Hi!
I think this is quite poor candidate for a vagrant. In Finland there's been at least 34 Azure Tit's and earliest autumn birds were seen 3th and 10th October. So seems really early for a vagrant (even hybrid), even Blue Tits are not yet in the move.
changing my mind after seeing more photos - I think probably Yellow-breasted Tit, potentially a hybrid with Blue Tit (maybe not 1st generation).
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