Had this Blue Tit on the feeder just now,
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...ps18fab201.jpg
All the others are normal sized, but this one was all fluffed up and
seems to have a growth on it's head, or it could be a tick.
Any ideas?

On 11/10/2013 15:58, David Hill wrote:
Had this Blue Tit on the feeder just now,
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...ps18fab201.jpg

All the others are normal sized, but this one was all fluffed up and
seems to have a growth on it's head, or it could be a tick.
Any ideas?




It could be avian pox. There's a link to report it on the BTO website.

--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay

"David Hill" wrote in message
...
Had this Blue Tit on the feeder just now,
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...ps18fab201.jpg
All the others are normal sized, but this one was all fluffed up and seems
to have a growth on it's head, or it could be a tick.
Any ideas?

Certainly looks lke a Well fed tick ! Could drop off soon.

Horrible things !

Bill

On 11/10/2013 16:27, Spider wrote:
On 11/10/2013 15:58, David Hill wrote:
Had this Blue Tit on the feeder just now,
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...ps18fab201.jpg


All the others are normal sized, but this one was all fluffed up and
seems to have a growth on it's head, or it could be a tick.
Any ideas?




It could be avian pox. There's a link to report it on the BTO website.

Thanks Spider, I've emailed them with a copy of the picture.

"Bill Grey" wrote in message
...

"David Hill" wrote in message
...
Had this Blue Tit on the feeder just now,
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...ps18fab201.jpg
All the others are normal sized, but this one was all fluffed up and
seems to have a growth on it's head, or it could be a tick.
Any ideas?

Certainly looks lke a Well fed tick ! Could drop off soon.

Horrible things !


I agree, it looks like a tick.

Tina

"Spider" wrote in message ...

On 11/10/2013 15:58, David Hill wrote:
Had this Blue Tit on the feeder just now,
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...ps18fab201.jpg

All the others are normal sized, but this one was all fluffed up and
seems to have a growth on it's head, or it could be a tick.
Any ideas?

It could be avian pox. There's a link to report it on the BTO website.

I've xposted to uk.rec.birdwatching, for obs etc.

On 16/10/2013 21:50, Bertie Doe wrote:


"Spider" wrote in message ...

On 11/10/2013 15:58, David Hill wrote:
Had this Blue Tit on the feeder just now,
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...ps18fab201.jpg


All the others are normal sized, but this one was all fluffed up and
seems to have a growth on it's head, or it could be a tick.
Any ideas?

It could be avian pox. There's a link to report it on the BTO website.

I've xposted to uk.rec.birdwatching, for obs etc.

I posted to BTO and to Garden Wildlife Health | Monitoring the health of
Garden Wildlife
Tick is the agreed probability
David

"David Hill" wrote in message ...

On 16/10/2013 21:50, Bertie Doe wrote:


"Spider" wrote in message ...

On 11/10/2013 15:58, David Hill wrote:
Had this Blue Tit on the feeder just now,
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...ps18fab201.jpg


All the others are normal sized, but this one was all fluffed up and
seems to have a growth on it's head, or it could be a tick.
Any ideas?

It could be avian pox. There's a link to report it on the BTO website.

I've xposted to uk.rec.birdwatching, for obs etc.

/I posted to BTO and to Garden Wildlife Health | Monitoring the health of
/Garden Wildlife
/Tick is the agreed probability

It's the first example I've seen. Don't suppose it's survivable.

On 17/10/2013 10:58, Bertie Doe wrote:


"David Hill" wrote in message ...

On 16/10/2013 21:50, Bertie Doe wrote:


"Spider" wrote in message ...

On 11/10/2013 15:58, David Hill wrote:
Had this Blue Tit on the feeder just now,
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...ps18fab201.jpg



All the others are normal sized, but this one was all fluffed up and
seems to have a growth on it's head, or it could be a tick.
Any ideas?

It could be avian pox. There's a link to report it on the BTO website.

I've xposted to uk.rec.birdwatching, for obs etc.

/I posted to BTO and to Garden Wildlife Health | Monitoring the health of
/Garden Wildlife
/Tick is the agreed probability

It's the first example I've seen. Don't suppose it's survivable.


I don't know. Ticks will drop off when fully fed so It may be lucky.
I just can't understand how it got it, Tits are not ground feeders and I
don't think ticks climb trees and bushes..

I don't know. Ticks will drop off when fully fed so It may be
lucky.
I just can't understand how it got it, Tits are not ground
feeders and I don't think ticks climb trees and bushes..

Ah, but they do sometimes. They normally climb up tall grass and
bracken, but if they happen to start up something taller, they
can get into trees and bushes.

Anne

In article ,
David Hill wrote:
On 17/10/2013 10:58, Bertie Doe wrote:

Had this Blue Tit on the feeder just now,
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...ps18fab201.jpg

All the others are normal sized, but this one was all fluffed up and
seems to have a growth on it's head, or it could be a tick.
Any ideas?

It could be avian pox. There's a link to report it on the BTO website.

I've xposted to uk.rec.birdwatching, for obs etc.

/I posted to BTO and to Garden Wildlife Health | Monitoring the health of
/Garden Wildlife
/Tick is the agreed probability

It's the first example I've seen. Don't suppose it's survivable.

I don't know. Ticks will drop off when fully fed so It may be lucky.
I just can't understand how it got it, Tits are not ground feeders and I
don't think ticks climb trees and bushes..

They can, though normally they climb grass stems etc. The tit
could have been collecting nesting material, drinking water or
whatever. It is unlikely that the tick itself will kill even a
bird as small as a tit.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In article ,
says...


"David Hill" wrote in message ...

On 16/10/2013 21:50, Bertie Doe wrote:


"Spider" wrote in message ...

On 11/10/2013 15:58, David Hill wrote:
Had this Blue Tit on the feeder just now,
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...ps18fab201.jpg


All the others are normal sized, but this one was all fluffed up and
seems to have a growth on it's head, or it could be a tick.
Any ideas?

It could be avian pox. There's a link to report it on the BTO website.

I've xposted to uk.rec.birdwatching, for obs etc.

/I posted to BTO and to Garden Wildlife Health | Monitoring the health of
/Garden Wildlife
/Tick is the agreed probability

It's the first example I've seen. Don't suppose it's survivable.

Don't see why not, as the bird is still feeding and the tick looks
full, ready to let go and drop off the host to continue the rest of its
lifecycle.

Janet.

In article , david@abacus-
nurseries.co.uk says...

On 17/10/2013 10:58, Bertie Doe wrote:


"David Hill" wrote in message ...

On 16/10/2013 21:50, Bertie Doe wrote:


"Spider" wrote in message ...

On 11/10/2013 15:58, David Hill wrote:
Had this Blue Tit on the feeder just now,
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...ps18fab201.jpg



All the others are normal sized, but this one was all fluffed up and
seems to have a growth on it's head, or it could be a tick.
Any ideas?

It could be avian pox. There's a link to report it on the BTO website.

I've xposted to uk.rec.birdwatching, for obs etc.

/I posted to BTO and to Garden Wildlife Health | Monitoring the health of
/Garden Wildlife
/Tick is the agreed probability

It's the first example I've seen. Don't suppose it's survivable.


I don't know. Ticks will drop off when fully fed so It may be lucky.
I just can't understand how it got it, Tits are not ground feeders and I
don't think ticks climb trees and bushes..

Their larvae climb long grass herbage or bracken to lie in wait for
a passing warm-blooded host; tits feed on grass/plant seed heads. If
you've ever waded through long grass or bracken and been boarded by a
tiny tick larvae the size of a pinhead, you can watch how fast they
climb up your trouser leg, like a little heatseeking missile looking for
skin to attach to.

Janet

"David Hill" wrote in message
...
On 17/10/2013 10:58, Bertie Doe wrote:


"David Hill" wrote in message ...

On 16/10/2013 21:50, Bertie Doe wrote:


"Spider" wrote in message ...

On 11/10/2013 15:58, David Hill wrote:
Had this Blue Tit on the feeder just now,
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...ps18fab201.jpg



All the others are normal sized, but this one was all fluffed up and
seems to have a growth on it's head, or it could be a tick.
Any ideas?

It could be avian pox. There's a link to report it on the BTO website.

I've xposted to uk.rec.birdwatching, for obs etc.

/I posted to BTO and to Garden Wildlife Health | Monitoring the health of
/Garden Wildlife
/Tick is the agreed probability

It's the first example I've seen. Don't suppose it's survivable.


I don't know. Ticks will drop off when fully fed so It may be lucky.
I just can't understand how it got it, Tits are not ground feeders and I
don't think ticks climb trees and bushes..

Blue tits may well roost in old nest boxes and there could well be a tick in
there to latch on to the bird.

As long as the tick isn't squashed or squeezed and allowed to drop off
naturally, the bird may suffer no adverse effects.