All were taken in the uk this spring. The first picture was suggested to me to be a willow warbler but do the dark legs mean it is a chiffchaff. The other three are the same bird, with not such dark legs but again is this a chiffchaff too, it has been identified as this before.
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Willow warbler of chiffchaff (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Mike Tom
- Start date
MTem
Well-known member
I'd say this is a Chiffchaff, mainly based on the primary projection in the last photo, the plain cheek and the dark legs. Not the best of views for certainty though.
For these Willowchaff encounters in the future try to get a good look at the pp, or a photo that shows it if you don't hear the bird call or sing. By far the most reliable and easy field differentiator in my view. See my photos in the other thread if you're not clear what I mean by pp.
Mick
For these Willowchaff encounters in the future try to get a good look at the pp, or a photo that shows it if you don't hear the bird call or sing. By far the most reliable and easy field differentiator in my view. See my photos in the other thread if you're not clear what I mean by pp.
Mick
Thanks for the advice on the primary projection. I have just been looking this up in more detail. I am really enjoying slowly finding out the various identification methods. Would you sat the first picture is also a chaffinch. I also put a post on Nov 4th at 16.34 of as clear shot I could get through the trees of another one. What do you think of this?
Thank you
Thanks Mike. Did you get to look at the Nov 4th post too ? Nutcracker thought a leaf warbler (presumbly again a chiffchaff or willow ?
MTem
Well-known member
I did - I think the 'wing-bar' is just a leaf, or some other photo artefact. Hard to be sure but the lack of a strong supercilium and what look to be dark legs suggest Chiffchaff.
Without seeing the wing, and a good look at the face/cheek pattern it will always only be a possibility with these two warblers. As I've said elsewhere my ringing experience suggests there are quite a few WW with dark legs (but pale feet), so going by leg colour alone is equally problematic.
Mick
