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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Chiffchaffs (1 Viewer)

Reappeared in my Surrey rural garden yesterday for the first time this year. No song or calls yet though.
Mick
 
It has been a very slow start to spring 2016 thus far. At Portland we recorded are first migrant Chiffchaffs on the 5th (two trapped) and the peak has been a very lowly 30 on 22nd.

Our first Willow Warbler today.

Grahame
 
There were at least 8, probably many more, at Titchwell yesterday, despite the very windy conditions.
Martin
 
It's all winter flocks here still - not a spring migrant to be seen.

As a bit of a novice, can I ask.... How do you know?

I had my first chiffchaff of the year in Northumberland a whole week earlier than I've seen/heard one before (on 13th March) and was told on this forum (and other places) it would have been a resident. I guess the timing was important for my sighting - being too early to be a spring arrival - but how do you know the flocks you are seeing are over-wintering birds?
 
It's all winter flocks here still - not a spring migrant to be seen.

As a bit of a novice, can I ask.... How do you know?

I had my first chiffchaff of the year in Northumberland a whole week earlier than I've seen/heard one before (on 13th March) and was told on this forum (and other places) it would have been a resident. I guess the timing was important for my sighting - being too early to be a spring arrival - but how do you know the flocks you are seeing are over-wintering birds?

I'm thinking Halftwo is meaning winter thrush flocks - Whatever time of year Chiffies don't really form flocks, just loose gatherings at best.

But yes; telling when an individual Chiff is a wintering bird, or a new spring arrival, is little more than educated guesswork. If you hear just one, and it's calling but not singing, then it's more likely a wintering bird; if you suddenly hear 3 singing in a smallish area, then likely spring arrivals. I'd generally tend to say a Chiff in our area before about 15 March is likely a wintering bird, but it can vary from year to year.
 
Yes, Lazza, Nutcracker is right - I was referring to winter thrush flocks.
We don't have overwintering Chiffies here - so any spring singer is new in.
Still nowt this am.
 
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