The Adventure of Gordy the Blue Tit

A cosy gatepost, protective parents, and the great escape

I have to admit, before moving into the cottage, I'd never actually seen a blue tit in person. Maybe I’d seen an image of one on my nan’s tea towels back in the day, but my knowledge of these birds and wildlife in general was limited. That all changed when I spotted one of these beautiful little creatures in our garden. It sparked a newfound interest, and I quickly became fascinated, frantically researching about them, and their behaviours - probably more than I'd care to admit, to be honest. Fortunately, my partner has always been into wildlife and he’s been a great teacher along the way.

A Day to Remember

You'd think our first weekend after a house move would have been spent unpacking boxes and arranging furniture. But no, not us. Instead, my partner dashed off to the local garden centre and returned with a brand-new bird feeder and bags of bird treats. Forget the unpacking; we spent that weekend setting up the feeding station and sitting in the garden, watching in awe as the birds flocked to it. The weather was beautiful and it seemed a shame to waste it indoors. Within minutes of putting out tasty treats, the garden was alive. It was absolutely magical and a day I’ll always remember.

All spring, I spent hours (and I mean hours) bird-watching. Every time blue tits landed on the feeder, I couldn’t help but admire their gorgeous vibrant colours. They were tiny, easily the cutest creatures I’d ever seen. As word spread about the five-star, all-you-can-eat bird buffet, more and more bluetits started showing up. At one point, I counted 15 of them sitting in the plum tree, patiently waiting for their turn to dine.

This particular Blue Tit took a liking to our gatepost.

I started noticing one particular blue tit hanging around more than usual. She kept flying over to the gatepost, which is a hollow metal pole that’s seen better days and should be replaced or at least repainted. I watched her closely and saw her disappear inside the post, only to pop back out and fly off into the woods. She returned with her beak full of moss a little later, went into the post again, and popped out seconds later. While she was gone, I dashed over to find out what she was up to. It was hard to see much, but I could just make out the start of a nest through the hole in the post.

Curiosity got the better of me, so I researched what blue tits use to build their nests. It turns out that the females spend up to two weeks gathering moss for the nest structure and lining it with soft feathers. Feeling a bit sorry for her, I decided to lend a hand. I had some wool from one of the dog’s toys that was about to go in the bin, so I put it out for her to use. I was sceptical but to my surprise, she pulled tiny pieces from the wool and used it like fluff to line the nest. It worked like a charm.

A simple tip to help birds with nest building: put out natural materials like pet fur, dried grass, or small twigs in your garden. Birds will gladly use these to line their nests, making their job a bit easier. Just be sure the materials are free from chemicals or synthetic fibres.

Silly Mistake

A few days passed and I realised I wasn’t seeing her as much. One morning, I had a sneaky peek in the gatepost again, making sure not to spook her if she was around. Well, she was definitely around - she was looking right back at me from her nest inside the post! Part of me was thrilled at the thought of baby blue tits fluttering around, but the other half was worried that my carelessness may have scared her off the eggs. I felt awful all day, knowing I should’ve kept my distance. Thankfully, she didn’t abandon the eggs and stayed put, only leaving briefly for food and water. The bird feeder is right next to the gatepost which is probably why she picked that spot - easy access to food. As an apology for being so nosy, I made it my daily mission to keep the feeder well-stocked with the best food and fresh water to help our little mum-to-be during her quick breaks.

When the Real Work Begins: Dads in the Bird World

I bet you’re wondering where the male is in all this. Oh, he’s around. I’d see him bringing her a little treat to the nest - especially as the eggs got closer to hatching. But let’s be honest, the males don’t do much in the bird world until the real work starts when those nestlings need feeding around the clock.

A couple of weeks later, I noticed the parents in nonstop motion, flying back and forth to the nest hundreds of times a day. Honestly, it looked exhausting, but they were relentless. Every so often, they’d take a quick break at the bird feeder to refuel before diving back into the bug hunt for their babies.

Each time I opened or closed the gate (purely because it's the way in and out of the garden - not to be nosy, I swear!), I could hear the tiny chirps from the nestlings. It was the sweetest sound and always made me smile. After closing the gate, I’d pause for a moment to listen to them. I liked to make sure they were all doing well in there.

The Great Escape

Fast forward a few weeks and one weekend, I noticed something moving in the hole in the gatepost. I focused on it and saw a tiny little head popping up - they were trying to leave! Was it too early? Would they be okay? I felt a little uneasy thinking of them out in the big wide world instead of safe and snug where I could keep an eye on them. It kept happening, the little head popped up again and again until the fledgling finally caught the edge of the opening. I’m pretty sure I didn’t breathe for a full minute while I waited to see what would happen, I tried my best not to move a muscle so that I wouldn’t spook the little bird.

The fledgling seemed unimpressed with the view from the gatepost.

The fledgling was curious about the outside world, perched on the ledge and taking it all in but also appearing slightly underwhelmed. As I took photos, I couldn’t help but notice his facial expression - it seemed to say, "This place isn’t all it’s cracked up to be." I have no idea why, but I decided to call the fledgling Gordy.

The Blue Tit parents only offer locally sourced produce.

When the mum returned with a caterpillar, Gordy’s interest was piqued again. He seemed to enjoy the delivery service, sitting there impatiently waiting for his next meal. I couldn’t help but laugh as he called out for his parents to bring more food. The food deliveries continued for hours, and I appreciated the effort these proud parents put into keeping their nestlings happy and growing.

Gordy made sure that he was first in line for dinner.

The Wing Test Gone Wrong

I went inside for a second, and when I returned, Gordy had vanished. I was so annoyed with myself for missing where he went. I sat back down, hoping the other fledglings would make their move soon. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted something in the grass - Gordy had made his way to the floor, maybe trying to test his wings. The fledgling didn’t seem very strong and I was worried because it would be dark soon. I carefully watched the tiny vulnerable bird sitting in the grass calling for his parents, there was no way I could let little Gordy hop into the woods and become a rat snack.

He looks even smaller against the blades of grass.

I waved my partner outside to consult him on the best course of action to take should the fledgling still be sat on the ground come nightfall. I knew that it was best to leave baby birds alone unless they were hurt or in danger, and although this little one wasn’t injured, he was definitely in a precarious position. As the evening drew in, we decided to pop Gordy back in the gatepost, reasoning that if he didn’t want to be there he would leave again.

Good Morning, Sunshine!

The following morning, my first thought was Gordy. I rushed downstairs, pulled on my shoes, and grabbed my camera, hoping to find him safe and sound. As I opened the conservatory door, I was both thrilled and amused to see his fluffy little face peeping out from the gatepost. Clearly, Gordy was determined to leave the nest today and it was early enough for him to have a full day of safely exploring the garden and finding his wings.

Morning Gordy!

I spent the entire day watching Gordy as he built his confidence, it was lovely to see him practising his flying techniques and finding the bird feeder. Fledglings are fearless and endlessly curious, which I find both endearing and terrifying. At night, I worried where he had chosen to spend the night, hopefully somewhere high out of the way of predators.

Little Gordy exploring the garden

I caught sight of Gordy most days after that, I could tell him apart by his funny-shaped head. I’d love to spin you a tale about how we became lifelong friends, and he perched on my shoulder while I picked fruit from the trees. Honestly? After a few more days, Gordy blended in with the other blue tits flitting around. The rest of the brood - six other adorable fledglings - moved out of the nest soon after. I’d see them playing together in the mini bird bath and grabbing a bite to eat, like siblings coming together for a catch-up.

Of course, I couldn’t tell the other fledglings apart after a while either. The only blue tit I can reliably recognise is their dad, and you might have noticed that I haven’t featured a photograph of him in this post. That’s because he’s got a funny story of his own, we call him…Blue Tit Steve!

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