Bird ID Please

nick5943 · #1 (**permalink**) 10-04-2009, 04:23 PM

Took these pictures today at my local reserve, they were very small size of a blue tit and constantly moving and there song seemed to be just 2 notes, i did not think they were chiffchaff because i could here one in a diffrent direction and it sounded totally different.

mtraylen81 · #2 (**permalink**) 10-04-2009, 04:43 PM

It may be a willow warbler, but by no means 100%.

Nice images though.

Tobermorey · #3 (**permalink**) 10-04-2009, 06:53 PM

Its a Chiffchaff - the two note song is a give-away. Willow Warbler song is a burst of about 8 descending notes - I always think they sound a bit like a Chaffinch with a flat battery.

glsammy · #4 (**permalink**) 10-04-2009, 06:57 PM

I agree, a Chiffchaff. The shots are good enough to clearly see the white crescent under the eye, plus the darkish legs.
It's a real pleasure to see and hear these birds around now.

Gill Catton · #5 (**permalink**) 10-04-2009, 07:00 PM

I think its a chiff chaff too based on the beige colouring and apparently dark legs - you may well have been hearing its contact call though rather than its song which would account for why it sounded different to the chiff chaff you heard in another direction.

jaykay · #6 (**permalink**) 11-04-2009, 07:03 AM

I agree with the Chiffchaff but wanted to add what lovely photo's, I have trouble even getting a hundred metre's away without being abandoned and left looking stark staring bonkers photographing an empty branch

nick5943 · #7 (**permalink**) 11-04-2009, 01:50 PM

Thanks for the ID it makes sense that it was just a contact call rather than its song seeing there were 2 going around with each other,just wish the black cap would come out from the undergrowth long enough for me to photograph but it is still very pleasurable listening and getting brief glimpses of them.