Hovering ChiffChaff in December? SW England (1 Viewer)

[Mehitabel]

Walking in the frost round frozen marshes by the Exe estuary yesterday, late morning, came across a pair of very small birds in the hedgerow. Very active, so hard to get much of a fix. But olivey-green, very chiffchaff-like. Dashing from shrub to shrub, eating what I presumed were berries, but might have been insects. But what struck me about them was how often they hovered while grabbing their targets. Someone joked that they might be humming-birds! (Obvs not). I've looked it up and I see that chiffchaffs do sometimes winter in the UK. But is the hovering behaviour usual? [For chiffchaffs, read also "possibly willow warblers". I've given up on that one.] Apologies for the lack of photos - the little blighters were just too quick. Thanks.

 

[Rotherbirder]

Quite possibly Goldcrests, rather than Chiffchaffs?

RB

 

[Mehitabel]

Quite possibly Goldcrests, rather than Chiffchaffs?

RB

That didn't even occur to me. Didn't see any crests, but wasn't looking for them. Thanks.

 

[Richard D]

There are a few Chiffchaff overwintering down here in Kent, but Goldcrest are a possibility.

 

[Mehitabel]

There are a few Chiffchaff overwintering down here in Kent, but Goldcrest are a possibility.

Do goldcrest hover much?

 

[paranoid numanoid]

Yes I was thinking goldcrests, they do hover, they sometimes give the impression of being like bees or hummingbirds, and I've seen little groups of them arriving in country lanes and hedgerows in midwinter, seemingly on local migration. Whenever I've seen a winter chiffchaff, they've been solitary. Any calls?

 

[PYRTLE]

Whenever I've seen a winter chiffchaff, they've been solitary. Any calls?

At one of my my old birding haunts, Slough Sewage Farm, we used to get multiple overwintering Chiffchaffs ( sometimes into double figures ) loitering and feeding around a "micro climate" created by the warm outflow effluent water discharged back into an old watercourse that flows into the Thames near Eton Wick.

 

[paranoid numanoid]

At one of my my old birding haunts, Slough Sewage Farm, we used to get multiple overwintering Chiffchaffs ( sometimes into double figures ) loitering and feeding around a "micro climate" created by the warm outflow effluent water discharged back into an old watercourse that flows into the Thames near Eton Wick.

That's interesting, reminds me of an outflow pipe from a meat-processing factory in the grounds of Eglinton Castle which seemed to be warm and spitting out fat and the birds of all sorts were all over it all winter! It's gone now but the place was alive with birds. It had a tall fence surround but you could stand there and they'd almost land on you. Don't remember any chiffchaffs though!

 

[Mehitabel]

Yes I was thinking goldcrests, they do hover, they sometimes give the impression of being like bees or hummingbirds, and I've seen little groups of them arriving in country lanes and hedgerows in midwinter, seemingly on local migration. Whenever I've seen a winter chiffchaff, they've been solitary. Any calls?

Frustratingly, no. Not that I could definitely pin on the birds.

 

[Mehitabel]

At one of my my old birding haunts, Slough Sewage Farm, we used to get multiple overwintering Chiffchaffs ( sometimes into double figures ) loitering and feeding around a "micro climate" created by the warm outflow effluent water discharged back into an old watercourse that flows into the Thames near Eton Wick.

Ahhh... Eat yer heart out Costa Rica! Slough Sewage Farm is where it's at!

 

[Mehitabel]

Thanks so much, folks. Going to go with goldcrests. Could well be we didn't see the crests because we just weren't looking for them. We go down to the Exe marshes, on both sides, a lot in winter. Will definitely be checking for crests next time.

 

[01101001]

Goldcrests have a striking dewy-eyed face pattern, and they are very small when viewed up close (Europe's smallest bird if I can trust my sources). The crown stripe isn't always so visible.

 

[Richard D]

Goldcrests have a striking dewy-eyed face pattern, and they are very small when viewed up close (Europe's smallest bird if I can trust my sources). The crown stripe isn't always so visible.

Yes I think they are the smallest, just a tiny bit smaller than Firecrest (common enough locally for me to need to check crests when I don't hear a call).

 

[PYRTLE]

Ahhh... Eat yer heart out Costa Rica! Slough Sewage Farm is where it's at!

Gotta start somewhere, 🧍‍♂️ , and a 10 year old back in 1966 couldn't afford or hadn't even heard of Costa Rica - apart from a coffee advert. Over 40 lifers thanks to good old SSF ( not including Goldcrest ).

 

[Butty]

need to check crests

Check supercilium (or lack of). Far far more obvious than central crown-stripe.