Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)

Considering that in the breeding season there are 3.4 million territories Blue Tits have been surprisingly thin on the ground in our garden this year.  Most winters we have flocks of mixed tits foraging through the garden.   This year rarely more than two or three at a time apart of course from Long-tailed tits.

I suspect this one, compared to the only other I saw today is a male.  The blues particularly on the crown are deeper and brighter.  The dark collar is well defined and a little broader.  Hopefully then they are a pair and will hang a round and use one of the nest boxes.