Tit & Tick

[Bev]

I have noticed recently that the birds are carrying ticks, this little Bluetit was just one of them, along with a sparrow, i believe it is down to the dry weather we have had, last year i noticed all the green finches had them.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb46/ForrestGSD/tittick2-1.jpg

[Seppi3]

Not an avid bird photographer, I take it the ticks are on the neck?

Just interested!

What exactly are they, they look like egg sacks, I know they are parasites, or is this the actual tick.

[dsb]

there nasty insects that inbed there heads into the skin of animals and feed of the blood, they carry alsorts of nastys, the main one being lymes disease. Nasty little sods.

[moomike]

:gag: That is just gross!! Nicely exposed & taken pic though :lol:

[Matt]

Well captured.
This little bird won't last long with those on its neck.

[Biko]

Me and the family got them in Mull this year probably from the deer that would come into the garden at night. Its something to be aware of and to know about as Lyme disease is not fun to have.

I took a pic of one biting me.

http://www.btinternet.com/%7Ei.c.palmer/tick.jpg

info here:
http://www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk/
http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/articles/article.aspx?articleId=236
http://www.amm.co.uk/files/factsabout/fa_lyme.htm