A PHOTOGRAPHER has captured the hilarious moment a tiny mouse invaded a bird feeder to gorge on nuts alongside a rather unimpressed blue tit.
John Quinn was gazing out the window of his home in Sion Mills, County Tyrone when he noticed a blue tit descending to the hanging feeder.
The keen snapper rushed to grab his camera upon noticing that a mouse was climbing up the concrete washing line post and heading along to the feeder at the same time.
The 79-year-old was then left shocked as the rodent clambered on to the feeder totally unbothered by the blue tit, which appeared to be in as much shock as John at the mouse’s nonchalant attitude.
The image shows the blue tit perched on the upper level of the bird feeder, seemingly hesitant to feed as it casts a cautious eye over the mouse that is hanging on below it.
The mouse on the other hand is entirely unbothered by the bird’s presence as it hangs on to the feeder with its back to the camera, greedily feasting on the peanuts inside.
John shared his image to Facebook last week, writing: “The blue tit is not impressed.”
His post received hundreds of likes and dozens of comments from bird watching fanatics.
Rita Aroua said: “Plenty there for both of them, well done getting the photo.”
Helen Tracey added: “That’s one enterprising mouse.”
Eileen Thomas replied: “That is absolutely wonderful, blue tit thinks ‘no wings’ how did he get here?”
Shirley Holmes Morrison wrote: “What a fantastic beautiful pic.”
Lynne Winkler commented: “Brilliant.”
Speaking today, John said: “I just happened to look out of my kitchen window when I spotted the mouse.
“It was climbing up the concrete line post and making its way across the clothes line to the feeder.
“The blue tit was already on the feeder but didn’t fly away, although he doesn’t look too impressed about sharing his food.
“The mouse hasn’t been back since I took this picture of the pair of them.”
It is thought there are over 15 million blue tits in the United Kingdom according to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.
The small bird can also be found throughout the rest of Europe, and are notable for being ablt to hold on to the outermost branches of trees and shrubs and hang upside down when looking for food.
