Amazingly, Varied Tit is the only member of the family I photogrpahed, while I never did even try for a photo of the MUCH more common Great Tit. It's tough on a trip like this, where everything is new, to stay focused on the birds that become common to you. In my defence, the only good photo ops I had with Great Tit were in the rain, thus no camera.

Varied Tit is restricted to Japan and the area immediately adjacent to the Korean peninsula. It is a striking Tit, and always a treat to view. We happened upon a pair while looking for a Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker that Nial had heard. We saw this species several times during the course of the tour.