Peterborough Bird Club annual report Willow Tit Parus montanus | A | Quite rare resident 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003
2003	Scarce resident breeder. Records submitted from five locations. Two were heard, but not seen, at Archer's Wood on 6 Dec (KW). A single bird was at Bedford Purlieus NNR during April (TP). Two at Bluebell Wood on 4 Jan and singles there on 9 Jan and 25 Feb (TD). Singles also at Simon’s Wood on 8 Mar (CD, CJ). Two at Woodwalton Fen NNR on 2nd and 5 Jan (SPD, MF) and, encouragingly, one heard singing there on 23 Mar. Like the Marsh Tit, the Willow Tit is also Red-Listed and would appear to be virtually extinct as a breeding bird in the area.
2002	Scarce resident breeder. Reports of this scarce species were received from five locations. Singles were noted at Bedford Purlieus NNR on 24 Apr (GW), 12 May (BHS) and 31 Dec (GW), Thornhaugh on 31 Dec (GW) and at Woodwalton Fen NNR on 2 Dec (BHS), 14 Dec (SG) and 28 Dec (SPD). A pair, with the male singing, was reported from Great Morton Sale on 29 Mar (DWi). The only confirmed record of breeding was at Rice Wood, Helpston, where a pair fledged young from a nest which they excavated in a box which had been stuffed with compressed sawdust (RA).
2001	Scarce resident breeder. Willow Tits are much the more prized of the two ‘brown’ or ‘black-capped’ tits, and require a little experience and good knowledge of tit calls, to identify with confidence. Records were received of birds at Southey Wood with two there 3 Jan (GRH, KH) and one on 5 Jan (TW); Helpston one on 6 Jan (MF); Bedford Purlieus NNR two on 3 May (GW); Woodwalton Fen NNR three on 22 Sep (RP); Milton Golf Course a few in autumn/winter (WEW); and Morborne Hill one 9 Oct (BHS).
2000	Rare resident. All records as follows. In Monk's Wood NNR on 11 Feb, two birds were trapped and ringed. Two were at Helpston on 11 Mar, a pair were at Monk's Wood NNR on 9 Apr, one was at Morborne Hill on 3 Oct and 23 Nov, three were at Woodwalton Fen NNR on 16 Nov, with one there on 19 Nov. The only evidence of breeding was an adult feeding a juvenile at Southey Wood on 13 May (GRH).
1999	Rare resident. Only three records of this increasingly scarce species: on 16 Jan at Southey Wood, 24 Apr at Castor Hanglands NNR and 1 Oct at Bluebell Wood.
1998	Rare resident. Four or five pairs at Milton Golf Course (WEW) was thought to be an underestimate. The only other records were of single birds twice noted in Southey Wood, and birds present in Oxey, Sutton and Mucklands Woods and at Woodwalton Fen NNR (CBR).
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