Abundant resident.

Although birds of open woodland, they have adapted well to the suburban environment, using gardens for feeding and, breeding where nest boxes are provided.

As with other Tit species they form flocks in the winter, one such flock seen at Norton Green in 1992 numbered fifty Great and Blue Tits. 37 were also counted in an Oak Tree in Wellfield Wood on 10 November 1974.

They were confirmed as breeding in every tetrad covering Stevenage in the 1973 and 1992 Breeding Atlases and, from ten in the 2012 Atlas. 

An unusual nesting record is of a nest with young at the Stevenage Borough Council Depot canteen in 1981 where a knot had fallen out of a plank.

The 2012 Winter Atlas confirmed their presence from all 11 of the tetrads covering Stevenage.

The Common Bird Census at Watery Grove recorded them annually as holding between three and thirteen breeding territories between 1972 and 1999. As they were associated with the, “standard” Oaks in the wood rather than the coppiced Hornbeams, coppicing seemed to have little effect on their variable population. 

A nestling ringed at Box Wood on 28 May 1980 was killed by flying into a window at Saffron Walden, Essex on 31 August 1980. 167 were ringed in Box Wood in 1980 and 267 were ringed in Box Wood in 1981.

Abundant resident.

Great Tits are birds of deciduous woodland. In more recent times they have spread widely from the woods into farmland, parkland and gardens. Their numbers fluctuate and they are vulnerable in severe winters. They were confirmed as breeding in every tetrad covering Stevenage in all three Breeding Atlases.

The 2012 Winter Atlas confirmed their presence from all 11 of the tetrads covering Stevenage.

The Common Bird Census at Watery Grove recorded them annually as holding between two and ten breeding territories. They are also associated with the Oaks in the wood, and their population was unaffected by coppicing. 

Great Tits are known for nesting in unusual places, in 1977 a pair raised a brood at Astonbury in a concrete garden gnome, the shoulder of which was broken off and the nest and young were visible inside. In 1989 a pair nested inside one of the posts supporting the Windsor Close road sign.

96 were ringed in Box Wood in 1980.

A flock of 34 was seen at an unrecorded location on 2 November 2024.

Uncommon resident and winter visitor.

Coal Tits are vulnerable to cold weather, and were badly affected in Hertfordshire during the winter of 1978/79.

They were confirmed as breeding in two of the town’s tetrads in the 1973 Breeding Atlas, from seven in the 1992 Atlas and, from five in the 2012 Atlas.

A bird was seen collecting nesting material in the Old Town in 2016 and, fledglings were reported from central Stevenage in 2018 and, at Fairlands Valley Park in 2019, with breeding confirmed there in 2021 and fledglings seen in 2022 and 2023.

The 2012 Winter Atlas confirmed their presence from 10 of the tetrads covering Stevenage.

The Common Bird Census recorded their presence annually during the breeding season at Watery Grove between 1973 and 1979, with single territories being held in 1973 and 1979. The Census did not record them again until 1985 from when they annually held between one and two territories until 1998, with the exception of 1986, 1988, 1990, and 1997 when only their presence was recorded.

A juvenile ringed at Box Wood in 1971 was seen nest building in the wood on 22 April 1972. 31 birds were ringed at Box Wood in 1979.

Former resident.

Willow Tits were not recorded from North Hertfordshire until around 1937, and were considered scarce in this part of the County by Gladwin (1985).

Having reached a peak nationally in the 1970s, they have declined dramatically. A decline of 72% was estimated between 1994 and 2002. The causes of the decline are unknown, but competition for nest holes with Blue and Great Tits, predation of their nests by Greater Spotted Woodpeckers (Dendrocopos major), the drying out of preferred woodlands, and climate change have been suggested. Willow Tits are sedentary by nature and may be reluctant or unable to move to other suitable sites.   

Confirmed as breeding in four of Stevenage tetrads by both the 1973 and 1992 Breeding Atlases. They were considered to be common in the area in 1980, and were, thought to have been badly affected by the harsh winter of 1991. They are now probably extinct at Stevenage, having not been seen since 2004.

The records for the 1960s and 1970s are: pair nesting in Whomerly Wood 14 May 1967; Monks Wood/Whomerly Wood in the winter of 1969/1970; eight at Watery Grove 28 March 1971; nest with young in a Birch Tree, Box Wood 4 June 1971; seen excavating a nest site, Box Wood 21 April 1973; two pairs Astonbury Wood 1973 (one pair had well grown young in a nest box 9 June 1973); breeding Astonbury Wood 1974 and1975; breeding Broaches Wood 1974; breeding Watery Grove 1975; four Watery Grove 6 June 1976; breeding Astonbury Wood 1977 (nest found in the bottom of an Ash Tree which contained newly hatched young 29 May 1977); display noted Watery Grove 1977, 11 ringed, Box Wood 1978; Astonbury Wood 1978 (pair seen with nesting material on 23 April 1978); three ringed Box Wood 1979; Astonbury Wood 13 April 1979.

The records for the 1980s and 1990s are: Watery Grove 1980; Astonbury Wood 14 and 23 April 1980; records from five sites around Stevenage 1981; seven ringed in Box Wood 1981; two Astonbury Wood 23 March 1986 and one on 13 Aril 1986; one at Mossbury Wood 27 March 1987; one at Astonbury Wood 15 April 1987; pair Box Wood 1April 1988; pair with the male bird in song Watery Grove 19 and 20 April 1988; pair Norton Green 30 March 1989; two at Astonbury Wood 16 July 1990 and 13 January 1992; one at Astonbury Wood 29 February and 8 March 1992; two Watery Grove 30 January 1994; Whomerly Wood 2 April 1996, 10 February and 7 April 1999.

The final record for Stevenage was of one feeding on a patch of Slender Thistles at Astonbury Wood on 4 December 2004.   

At Watery Grove they were present in the 1970s when both nest boxes and bored-out natural holes were inhabited. The Common Bird Census recorded their presence in the 1973, 1974, 1981, 1985, 1987, 1990, 1991 and 1997 breeding seasons, and as holding single territories in 1992, 1993, 1996 and 1998.

Scarce and declining resident.

In common with the rest of the Britain, Marsh Tits are scarce and declining residents of Stevenage’s woods. The suggested reason for their decline is increased nest predation, competition with other Tit species, and subtle changes in woodland habitat. They are thought to favour woodlands with complex understory and, require large patches of suitable habitat to breed successfully.

Foster (1916) commented, “Stevenage district, but not so common as the Coal Tit (Periparus ater).”

The next record came from Box Wood on 22 August 1957.

There are no records from the 1960s apart from Monks Wood/Whomerly Wood in the winter of 1969/1970. In Hertfordshire generally at this time Marsh Tits and Willow Tits (Parus montanus) were being considered in the Bird Reports together, possibly because of difficulties in identifying the species separately!

The records from 1970 to 1999 are: Astonbury 1971 and 1979; Box Wood 1971, 1972, 1973, and 1974; Watery Grove 1971; Fairlands Valley 1973, 1975; Watery Grove 1973 and 1975; Ely Close 1973; Hertford Road 1974; Wellfield Wood 1974; a family party of eight at Watery Grove in mid-June 1977; Box Wood  two birds ringed 1978 and 1979; Astonbury Wood 26 November 1978; Watery Grove 1978,1979, 1980; Astonbury Wood 23 March 1980; three birds ringed in Box Wood 1981; two at Watery Grove 15 April 1982; two at Watery Grove 14 April 1983; one at Box Wood 18 May 1984; three at Astonbury Wood 29 March 1986; Watery Grove 22 April 1990; two at Astonbury Wood 15 July 1990; pairs noted during the 1990 breeding season at Pryors Wood.  

The Common Bird Census at Watery Grove recorded them holding three breeding territories in 1972, single territories in 1973 and 1974, and as being present during the 1975 breeding season. They were then not recorded by the Census until 1981, when a single territory was held. A single territory was also held in 1987, and their presence noted in 1985, 1986, 1988 and 1989. In the 1990s their presence was recorded annually, with single territories being held in 1992, 1998 and 1999.

Between 2000 and 2009 they were recorded annually from Watery Grove with records for every month except June and July. The most seen together was three on 18 March 2006. Other records were from: Pryors Wood 26 June 2001; Norton Green 6 March 2004; Aston End 19 November 2005; Astonbury Wood 9 August 2006; Norton Green 26 April 2008 (when three were seen).

Between 2010 and 2019 they were recorded annually from Watery Grove with records for every month of the year. The most seen together was five plus on 5 July 2019 which included a family group. Fledglings were also seen there in 2017 and 2018. Other records came from: Astonbury Wood 2010, 2012 and 2014; a Chesfield Park Garden 2016; Norton Green 2014 and 2016; Pryors Wood 2010 and 2019; Upper Kitching Spring 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019; five in an unknown Stevenage Garden on 28 May 2011.

Since 2020 they have been recorded from Watery Grove with records for every month of the year. The most recent record is of one on 21 November 2025. Other records are: one in a Great Ashby Garden on 19 and 20 November 2020; Norton Green 2 February 2021; Upper Kitching Spring 5 and 31 January 2020 and 17 January 2021; one at Astonbury Wood on 24 October 2024.       

The 1973 Breeding Atlas confirmed breeding from the tetrads covering Norton Green and Broadwater and considered breeding as probable from the tetrads covering Boxbury Farm, Pin Green and Bragbury End. The 1992 Atlas confirmed breeding from the tetrads covering Boxbury Farm and Norton Green and considered breeding as probable from five other tetrads. The 2012 Atlas confirmed breeding from the tetrad covering Bragbury End and considered breeding possible from the tetrad covering Norton Green.

The 2012 Winter Atlas confirmed their presence from five of the tetrads covering Stevenage.