Hello,
I see what you mean Ken, but please note that the tip of longest tertial isn't visible and that the position of the wingtip in relation to the tail and in relation to the overall shape (I hope that's understandable) makes me think of an short winged bird.
And really narrow and subdued supercilum (many WW have a broader one), prominent white eye ring (as the most distinctive face marking) and uniform dark ear-coverts result in such a good Chiffchaff head pattern, that together with the dark legs and lack of a paler bill base I think it's a (nearly) confident Chiffchaff and (nearly confident) no Willow Warbler.
Do you have any more pictures, Bertus?
Hi, I have one more of that same bird, but only at the backside. I think if you look very well the legs look black but it's difficult to see. See under. I understand now that with orange legs it could be a Willow Warbler, right? But 20 minutes later I pictured a similar bird very near the first one. Could be the same species, could even be the same bird. I add two more of that one. It certainly has black legs. So that at least should be a Chiffchaff right?Hello,
I see what you mean Ken, but please note that the tip of longest tertial isn't visible and that the position of the wingtip in relation to the tail and in relation to the overall shape (I hope that's understandable) makes me think of an short winged bird.
And really narrow and subdued supercilum (many WW have a broader one), prominent white eye ring (as the most distinctive face marking) and uniform dark ear-coverts result in such a good Chiffchaff head pattern, that together with the dark legs and lack of a paler bill base I think it's a (nearly) confident Chiffchaff and (nearly confident) no Willow Warbler.
Do you have any more pictures, Bertus?
Thank you. I don't know about the wings but all three pic's show black legs if you enlarge the photo. Of the second bird too. Not very clear, but that would rule out a Willow Warbler, that indeed looks very much the same. Has a bit more yellow I see on eBird. If I come to the same place again I will listen to their sound, that are quite different, to be very sure.Most likely but we cannot see the key features (esp wing formula). Dark legs makes it probable
No, that's one of the tertials but the longest is hidden.the last tertial appears to be to the left of the green buds
There's no heavy shade there. The whole photo is without direct sunlight but reasonably well-lit and well-exposed, and this applies also to the bird's legs just as it applies to its underparts.leg colour cannot be assessed as they are in heavy shade
No, that's one of the tertials but the longest is hidden.
To my eye, the tertials would be even stepped…with the 3rd tertial finishing almost at the point of disappearance behind leaf, thus wouldn’t alter the ratio significantly.
There's no heavy shade there. The whole photo is without direct sunlight but reasonably well-lit and well-exposed, and this applies also to the bird's legs just as it applies to its underparts.
Unfortunately, some willow warblers have dark legs, some chiffchaffs lighter ones. So you can't rely on that character. You also can't rely on colour: there are some very bright chiffchaffs about—so yellow you immediately think "willow warbler". Basically, the only ways to be sure are: a) get good view of the wing formula or b) hear it singing.Thank you. I don't know about the wings but all three pic's show black legs if you enlarge the photo. Of the second bird too. Not very clear, but that would rule out a Willow Warbler, that indeed looks very much the same. Has a bit more yellow I see on eBird. If I come to the same place again I will listen to their sound, that are quite different, to be very sure.
wing projection is definitely short. This is a Chiffchaff 100%.
Hi there. So yesterday I went back to the place where I made the pics and now I listened more carefully to the bird sounds. And indeed was the sound of this bird like that of a Common Chiffchaff on the internet. The Willow Warbler is found here too but less likely since obs of the Chiffchaff are almost ten times more over the last say 20 years. I remember both birdsounds, they are quite typical. But both species look alike a lot, tnx everybody, auite interesting.Unfortunately, some willow warblers have dark legs, some chiffchaffs lighter ones. So you can't rely on that character. You also can't rely on colour: there are some very bright chiffchaffs about—so yellow you immediately think "willow warbler". Basically, the only ways to be sure are: a) get good view of the wing formula or b) hear it singing.
Edit: looking at the new photos I suspect chiffchaff throughout. However, I can't (personally) make out the wing formulae to be sure in most. What I can see of primary projection seems right for that species.