Which warbler is this?

[Nicola Main]

On behalf of a friend who lives in a cottage in farmland in Aberdeenshire. I thought it was a Sedge Warbler at first but somehow doesn't look right.

[faz]

chiff chaff or willow warbler my first thought was a chiff chaff did you hear it sing at all ?

[Nicola Main]

Hi faz. It's on behalf of a friend and he didn't hear it sing. He said to me it was catching insects around the feeders.

[faz]

i still think chiff chaff all the ones mentioned eat insects ther will be some else along soon see what they say we may all learn something

[RoyW]

Looks fine for Sedge Warbler. Chiffchaff/Willow Warbler rarely show such a distinct pale stripe over the eye (and the dark edges to this are typical for Sedge Warbler).
The fact that it is not in the reed/scrub habitat usually associated with Sedge might make it look a bit strange, as well as the fact that the upperparts look fairly plain. Sedge Warblers do sometimes look uniformly coloured, rather than streaked, above - this one is probably an adult in worn plumage.

[kestrel76]

I would suggest that the head makings are not quite bold enough for Sedge. If you look at the legs, they appear to be quite pale. if this is therefore a "willowchiff" then I would say it is a Chiffchaff.

[Deb London]

Chiffchaff = legs dark. That's the way I understand it.

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by kestrel76

I would suggest that the head makings are not quite bold enough for Sedge. If you look at the legs, they appear to be quite pale. if this is therefore a "willowchiff" then I would say it is a Chiffchaff.

The head markings are definately bold enough for a Sedge Warbler (especially if you take into account the fact that it may be an adult in worn plumage). IMO the obvious, and fairly wide, dark bands both above and below the broad supercilium rule out the possibility either Willow Warbler or Chiffchaff.
Also look at the second photo - the tail is long and appears rounded at the end, and the rump shows a rufous tinge (although this is admittedly indistinct). These features clearly point to it being an Acrocephalous warbler.
I have no doubt that he original suggestion of Sedge is correct.

[Gill Catton]

I agree sedge warbler for me too.

[kestrel76]

My apologies for the remark about leg colour. I realise that the Chiffchaff has darker legs. I was getting my willows and chiffs muddled up!! Also, I will conseed the point about the head markings. I`m not a warbler expert (you may have noticed that) but happy to learn. Thank goodnes I can at least identify (by appearance and usually by song) a male blackcap!!!