Thread: Show Birds

Two Seagull shots from Istanbul.
Attachment 3287

Attachment 3288

Originally Posted by pdh

if you're really smart you can use that last shot to check the length of it's "primary projection" (longer in the WW than the Chiffy)

Yes, the last picture clinches it as Chiffchaff based on the primary projection. The other three pictures also say Chiffchaff, the Willow warbler will be brighter with more yellow evident in its plumage.

Originally Posted by pdh

WW and Chiffchaff will mostly share habitat (well they certainly do on my local common)

Chiffchaff is more tolerant of damper conditions, hence I'm used to a much greater density of Chiffchaffs than Willow Warblers. Also Willow Warblers tend to slightly more open conditions, hence more likely to be found on woodland edges and rather more open areas, Chiffchaffs can be found deeper into the woodland.

Barrie

Merci, Barrie and Paul

a Chiffchaff it is - (although I never noticed a "tail wagging" - just too busy trying to track the bird(s) as they flit around the tree)

I wonder what I'll spot in the UK - here for a couple of weeks

PS - I've just listened to both songs on the RSPB site - and the Willow Warbler one is the one that I would say that I heard as I thought that it sounded like a Redstart - so that's a mystery, maybe

just found some good images by Sue Tranter

http://www.suesbirdphotos.co.uk/CHIFFCHAFF.htm

Originally Posted by grebeman

Willow Warblers tend to slightly more open conditions, hence more likely to be found on woodland edges and rather more open areas, Chiffchaffs can be found deeper into the woodland.
Barrie

which precisely describes where I tend to see them on the common, but without my having consciously differentiated the distinction ... excellent thank you again Barrie!

Bill,

You've hit on a very interesting species with the Chiffchaff, one with several different races. The Iberian Chiffchaff which is very limited in range but can occur regularly in the extreme SW of France. Brittany would be a little far north although they do occur sometimes in the UK, I've seen one in the spring. They start off sounding like a Chiffchaff and end up sounding like a Willow Warbler.

As for tail dipping, the Chiffchaff tends to do that habitually when feeding, the Willow Warbler tends to do that once when it lands, but not persistently when its feeding, but this is a trait and not a diagnostic feature.

Barrie

this is a repost from much earlier in this thread, but does show the more yellow look of the WW ...


willow warbler by _loupe, on Flickr

Chiffchaff

there were lots of Chaffinches around, (their song?)

- Chiffchaff - I did not see too much green, but my wife says she saw flashes of paleish yellow and green, and she commented that the colouring was a perfect match for the (green) tree - although the images show a more brownish colour.

We were not far from them - there were above our heads in the willow - they moved around quickly but did not seem to be concerned about our presence. The area was damp - streams and drainage ditches - very mixed trees/scrub/gardens/farmyard/farm buildings, but in open countryside away from any major towns.........they moved from the trees down into an area of small scuba/brambles, (almost got an image). and then off into the wood. There was a lot of "bird song" around and I am at the novice stage as far as that is concerned so my song/warning call observations would not be valid.

I thought I saw a few, what I thought were "small" blackcaps, - but they were too quick for me to get a good view of and I could not get an image

Paul, thanks, Arne looks good - only about 40 miles, 1 hour from Sarum - may pop down there

Barrie/Paul

ID check please - Male Reed Bunting - still in winter trim?

Another from today

why this Goose is so loved, (a present from our Canadian cousins) - well not really, (where's my gun!)

I want to come out for a swim




no you can't


I've won (again) everyone



Aren't I the number 1

Love your goose shots, Bill :)