TAILED TITS

Mike Taylor visited the park on the sunny Sunday 13th and saw a group of newly fledged long-tailed tits crashing their way along a hedgerow. These two photographs which he took of the young tits certainly look as if the youngsters have only just stumbled out of the nest. The very young birds have much shorter tails than the adults.

At least a couple of pairs have nested at the park this year, and the two families could get together later in the summer into one big foraging flock. A few years ago one big long-tailed tit summer flock numbered 36 birds.

Mike chose a good day to see four adders - two males and two females out basking in the sunshine. He was lucky enough to witness the two males perform the "dance" alongside the track.