Juvenile BlueTit

[Craftysnapper]

One from yesterday a juvenile Blue Tit feeding on insects on the cherry tree.

 

[Phil]

That's a smasher!

 

[Guest Ron]

Look at that scruffy little chap, I love to see the youngsters when they come away from the nest.

Nice capture Paul

Ron

[JohnP]

I'm certain that it's an adult bird that is looking scruffy due to the hard time it has been having finding food and feeding young, it's not unuaual to see birds in this condition at this time of year. I'm happy to be corrected if I'm wrong, anyway it's a lovely capture whatever.

[Craftysnapper]

Thank you Phil ,Judy and Ron,

[Craftysnapper]

I'm certain that it's an adult bird that is looking scruffy due to the hard time it has been having finding food and feeding young, it's not unuaual to see birds in this condition at this time of year. I'm happy to be corrected if I'm wrong, anyway it's a lovely capture whatever.

​Thank you John, but I will have to correct you, a very young juvenile has grey plumage on the head and wings as opposed to the blue plumage of a adult blue tit.

Heres a scruffy adult for comparison.

 

[Craftysnapper]

That's a scruff if ever I saw one - ours have been taking lots of baths - is it flea time?

​Judy I'm beginning to wonder if this is fledgling blue tit with mites.

[Terry]

Superb shot Paul, but I have to agree with John. I also think its an adult

[Craftysnapper]

Superb shot Paul, but I have to agree with John. I also think its an adult

Thank you Terry, if you are right and I am tending to think that myself now then it is a blue tit  that is badly suffering from feather mites (Proctophyllodes stylifer) first one I have ever seen.

 

[JohnP]

I still think the original shot is an adult, the feathers... especially on the wings look too mature for a young bird and the same applies to the beak.

[Craftysnapper]

I still think the original shot is an adult, the feathers... especially on the wings look too mature for a young bird and the same applies to the beak.

​As I said to Terry you may both be right, but then my expertise is in photographing another type of bird the none feathered kind.

[JohnP]

but then my expertise is in photographing another type of bird the none feathered kind.

​Lucky you!  Chance would be a fine thing in my case, I wouldn't have a clue anyway...

[ChrisLumix]

Ugly looking critter. Poor thing.