Willow Tit?

[Humakt]

Was out for a walk in some local woods today.
I saw several birds flitting about a stand of beech trees.
To my eyes they looked like Willow Tits. I'd leave it at that, except there was a significant difference - the crown of the birds' heads were black (just like a Willow Tit's), but had a white streak down the centre, right on the very top, splitting the black crown in two. Which is not like a Willow Tit.
It wasn't just one of the birds with this - they all (well, the three I looked at through the binoculars) had it.
They were in mixed woodland - beech, birch and pine. Which is a Willow Tit's environment.
Hmm...I suppose it could be a Firecrest or Goldcrest, but if so then the yellow crest would have to have been particularly pale...

Anyone got any ideas?

[rossbird]

Sounds like you where looking at Coal tits to me:o

[paulthefish2009]

I agree, think they may have been coal tits, by the way willow tits are almost identical to marsh tits,fire crests and gold crests are tiny,they are our smallest native birds and they do have quite a distinctive crest.

[Humakt]

Yes, possibly a coal tit.
But if so, the white at the nape of the neck came much further forward (to the crown) than usual.
It was definitely a tit of some kind - it was that size and shape.
Shame I didn't have my camera with me...

[Humakt]

I've just done a Google image search for coal tits.
It seems the white on the nape can vary in length. I am now happy to say that what I saw were, indeed, coal tits.

That's doubly good because now, not only do I know what they were; but secondly, it's probably the first time I've seen coal tits (well, seen them and know what they are as opposed to mis-identify!).

Cheers all.