GREAT-TIT: nesting birds spark embarrassing encounter

BIGGER and tougher than the blue-tit, the great-tit is reputed to be the hard man of the entire tit family in this country.

Its strong beak and aggressive manner often put other birds to flight and there is evidence of great-tits killing and eating smaller birds, including the tiny goldcrest.

However, like its perky, more peaceful cousin, the great-tit normally restricts its menu to caterpillars, insects, seeds and fruit.

The great-tit also expends a similar amount of time and energy collecting food.

It is just as inventive, too, when it comes to exploiting human resources and can easily break into milk bottles to steal the cream.

Dramatic black and yellow colouring visibly sets it apart from the blue-tit, as does its size - about 3cms longer at 14cms.

But it is generally found in the same environment and is almost as acrobatic.

A recent national survey of British birds put the great-tit in seventh place out of the 20 most common garden visitors.

Unlike some species, it is not too difficult to tell the two sexes apart.

The male great-tit sports a bold, unbroken black band along the length of his bright yellow belly.

The female has less black there and also a less glossy black cap.

The male takes hardly any part in the nest building process, leaving the job almost completely to his partner.

But he will loyally feed her while she lays and incubates their red-spotted white eggs.

Some years ago, I was lucky enough to stumble upon a sizeable colony of great-tits living in woods at the back of a house we had rented. Unfortunately, their presence led to one of the most embarrassing episodes of my life.

Two of the great-tits began nesting under the eaves of a nearby house and I was naively following their progress one day with binoculars.

All at once, I found myself confronted by the angry face of the formidable spinster who owned the place.

After glaring at me from an upstairs window, she drew the curtains shut in a very emphatic manner.

The meaning was obvious.

How do you smooth things over ? Go round and apologise ? ("Sorry, madam, I was just observing those lovely...er...")

I half-expected PC Plod to come round and seize my binoculars as evidence of my heinous crime.

In the event, nothing happened but it was a stark lesson in the inherent risk of using binoculars near other houses.

A few days later, I realised I was standing behind this same lady in the local newsagents.

For a few seconds, I wracked my brain as to how I could delicately explain my apparent impertinence. ("Madam, how lucky you are to have those...er...nesting cosily under your...er...")

It was no use.

I kept my mouth shut.

Perhaps if the birds in question had been some other species I might have stood a chance.

Spotting my blushes, she sniffed haughtily before using her 15-stone bulk to bulldoze a path through me and about three other customers.

Did I imagine it or was there a half-smile playing around the red-painted lips in that rouged lantern jaw of hers as she marched away ?

I will never know for sure.

In any case, I did not dare look at those particular great-tits again.