Tired Titmouse

[modiggity78]

Hello, Im a newbie here, and only a couple years into birdwatching. Anyway, I have a tray feeder outside of my office window. (I live in SouthWest Missouri). A titmouse has repeatedly flown to the tray, laid down, spread its wings out, opened its beak and seems to be breathing heavy (like it is panting). At first, i thought it was dying in the feeder, but then it lays there for about 15-30 seconds, then grabs a seed and flies off. It has been doing this repeatedly. Strange behavior and I had never seen that before.

Does anyone have an explanation for this behavior?

[chris butterworth]

If I'd seen something like that happening here in UK I'd have thought the bird was 'sunning' as the posture sounds very similar. But I've never come across a bird collecting food in conjunction with this behaviour - and - do Titmice 'sunbathe'? At least it is staying still enough for some cracking views.