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"A blue tit is a dominant species - it tends to win in interactions and fighting for food or quarrelling for nest sites," explains Dr Lees. "Whereas species lik

"A blue tit is a dominant species - it tends to win in interactions and fighting for food or quarrelling for nest sites," explains Dr Lees. "Whereas species like willow and marsh tits are subordinate. They tend to lose those in interactions." This doesn't quite square with what I recall was presented on a recent "Spring/Autumn watch". That's a BBC nature program - well respected and properly science focussed. It can get quite unpleasantly natural: for example it does not shy away from the effects of predation in all its gory forms. I recall that blue tits depend on a particular insect, which is or was currently scarce due to weather. Nests failed wholesale and second clutches didn't happen. So blue tits are currently having a bad year in the UK. Now, willow tits (I thought) majored in willow ... OK let's at least do a quick search: https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/willow-tit/ https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/b... So where I live (Somerset) isn't in it's resident area. There's quite a lot of willow here and in Dorset to the south. I don't associate the midlands and Wales with willow, so there you go. Also I would have mis-identified one as a coal or great tit. So, given it was a shit year for blue tits - I've got off my arse again: https://www.countryliving.com/uk/wildlife/countryside/a36603015/blue-tits-bad-year-springwatch/ https://www.countryliving.com/uk/wildlife/countryside/a36603... what do you do? I suggest that in the first place, we feed the birds as best we can. To do that, the very best thing to do is provide the environment for insects and all the rest of the bottom of the food web to get cracking. We might also supplement that with caches of the sort of things that get a bird through tough times - dumps of seeds and fruits. I'd like to see way more research on these things and way more direction to willing civilians. For example is a "bee motel" really helpful and why? What can we do for blue tits - please read the section "WHY ARE THERE LESS BLUE TIT NESTS THIS YEAR? THE SCIENCE EXPLAINS". It turns out the current years decline is complicated and the blue tit does not seem to be very generalised or able to adapt. Worrying about blue tits being bullies seems a bit crass when the poor buggers are having a pretty shit time. Willow tits - no idea how they are doing this year. Perhaps they are seeing a resurgence now that blue tits are laid low.

forgotmypw17 5y ago
Thank you for your kind and thoughtful comment. I think most birds are not having a great time these days, between losing habitat and losing insects/biomass. We are still thinking of nature and animals as being self-sustaining, the way they have been in the past, but more and more it's becoming apparent that we have to not only reduce harm, but also step in and help, to become true caretakers of the biome.
- gerdesj 5y ago
  I live in a house with a decent garden and opposite a park. Both of which are absolutely rammed with wildlife. Which is nice. However I completely agree with you: "We are still thinking of nature and animals as being self-sustaining, the way they have been in the past, but more and more it's becoming apparent that we have to not only reduce harm, but also step in and help, to become true caretakers of the biome." We humans now dominate the biome. Completely. We can no longer rely on it to function on its own. I personally gave up on the notion of "natural", with regards a British environment a long time ago. For example I have a huge number of non native plant species growing here in my garden. What does non-native or native actually mean anyway? Are apples native? - not really (Roman introduced but work well - only about 2000 years local.) Oak? probably been here for quite a few years but check your subspecies out. We used to have a whopper of a walnut tree here. It died two years back and we had it cut down. It was over 50' tall and when I found myself spending more time at home instead of at work recently, I noticed that wood peckers and pigeons and others used it. I saw a series of circuits. The ravens would start from next door and whizz off clockwise and the pigeons would randomly fly everywhere. The woodpeckers would simply appear and start whizzing around. It's quite hard to describe but I'd be happy to formally log stuff for a study.

forgotmypw17 5y ago

Thank you for your kind and thoughtful comment. I think most birds are not having a great time these days, between losing habitat and losing insects/biomass. We are still thinking of nature and animals as being self-sustaining, the way they have been in the past, but more and more it's becoming apparent that we have to not only reduce harm, but also step in and help, to become true caretakers of the biome.

gerdesj 5y ago
I live in a house with a decent garden and opposite a park. Both of which are absolutely rammed with wildlife. Which is nice. However I completely agree with you: "We are still thinking of nature and animals as being self-sustaining, the way they have been in the past, but more and more it's becoming apparent that we have to not only reduce harm, but also step in and help, to become true caretakers of the biome." We humans now dominate the biome. Completely. We can no longer rely on it to function on its own. I personally gave up on the notion of "natural", with regards a British environment a long time ago. For example I have a huge number of non native plant species growing here in my garden. What does non-native or native actually mean anyway? Are apples native? - not really (Roman introduced but work well - only about 2000 years local.) Oak? probably been here for quite a few years but check your subspecies out. We used to have a whopper of a walnut tree here. It died two years back and we had it cut down. It was over 50' tall and when I found myself spending more time at home instead of at work recently, I noticed that wood peckers and pigeons and others used it. I saw a series of circuits. The ravens would start from next door and whizz off clockwise and the pigeons would randomly fly everywhere. The woodpeckers would simply appear and start whizzing around. It's quite hard to describe but I'd be happy to formally log stuff for a study.