I first saw this pair of long-tailed tits at the end of February. They were calling and moving about a lichen covered sallow tree, then one picked up a feather for a few moments before dropping it again. They were obviously thinking about nesting in the area.

On 15th March they were back in the same area and had just started to build a nest in a fork in the branches of a sallow. Nest building has been slow and steady. The pair will come in with lichen, hair, spiders’ webs and moss for about ten minutes and each then takes a turn to sit in the nest and weave the materials in. Then they often leave the area for up to half an hour before returning for another burst of nest building. The outside of the nest consists of lichens, hair and webs and the inside is being lined with moss.