The Blue Jays can fit only one un-shelled peanut in their beak, so I was really surprised to see this little Tufted Titmouse fly off with one in its beak. I expect it kept her busy for quite awhile.
While watching for Bald Eagles yesterday, this Tufted Titmouse was visiting a feeder tacked to a tree by a local ranger. After retrieving a sunflower seed, he would perch on a tree branch right in front of me.
After getting a sunflower seed, this Tufted Titmouse headed for dense cover in one of our front yard mugo pine bushes. This time I was able to get an angle for a shot.
A pair of Tufted Titmice are enjoying the nut mix I put in several of the feeders. They grab a nut a quickly head for the cover of a bush to eat it. I managedthis shot during a split second pause.
A few days ago we had a family of 4 Tufted Titmice show up. They spent about 30 minutes grabbing a sunflower seed and then eating it in the cover of our big viburnum bush.
I tried out a new technique to get this tufted titmouse to pose for me. It was working within minutes. Watching the birds natural behavior and then taking advantage for photos keeps me endlessly entertained.
Titmouse Territory Call - Chickadee in Background.
Tufted Titmouse Crest Up High
Posted:
February 8, 2009
The titmouse activity at our feeders has picked up recently. We have a total of 4 that visit regularly. This guy was stretched tall keeping an eye on any motion around him.
While waiting for the pileated woodpecker to show up this morning, I was able to get a shot of this tufted titmouse in an adjacent tree. He would grab a sunflower seed from the feeder and fly up to a high tree branch to eat it.
Normally titmice do not stay in one location for more than a few seconds. This guy perched with his sunflower seed for nearly a minute calmly looking around pondering his next move.
Here is one of 4 titmice that visit all day long. She is politely waiting her turn near the peanut feeder. They are very territorial when it comes to personal space on the feeders.
After being away for four days, this cute adult tufted titmouse was one of the first birds I saw when I got home. There was a juvenile along with the adult - see Birds / Juveniles 2008.
A tufted titmouse on its favorite approach path via the wisteria vine. Today I saw a pair of titmice perched side by side in the large bush by our kitchen - too many branches to get a shot. Must be part of their courstship togetherness.
The titmouse pair that visits our feeders are coming in together now. It must be that time of year. If I am putting seed out, they will perch in the crabapple tree and talk to me (I suppose the message is hurry up).
While trying to catch a chickadee in the field of view (a sometimes frustrating task), this pretty little tufted titmouse flashed into the frame. Sometimes I just get lucky.
The tufted titmouse pair usually come zooming into the feeder area together these days. One will go to the platform feeder while the other goes to the log feeder. I'm assuming they are a male / female pair, but they look identical as best I can tell.
I have been trying for two solid weeks to get one of a pair that we have coming to the feeders in the frame or other than a blur. I had given up, and then this morning one landed right in front of me while I was waiting for some evening grosbeaks to return.
A pair of tufted titmice are now regulars at our feeder area. This is the first year since we built our place 8 years ago that we have had them. They are as speedy as the chickadees and nuthatches - tough to catch in the frame. This one was trying to hide from me in the wisteria vine.
Getting a photo of these guys is very difficult, they never stay still. This one paused to peer down at the juncos feeding on the ground, so I was able to get in a few shots that were not a blur.
We now have a pair of these little speedsters coming in for sunflower seed numerous times a day. They fuss at each other if they arrive together. In this shot, it has its tuft flattened.
We had been living here for 5 years before our first tufted titmouse appeared. As our property looks more established, they are venturing into our backyard.
Bird Species
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