More Gibraltar Warblers (1 Viewer)

[rylirk]

Hi all!

Re: the discovery that my 'Iberian Chiffchaff' record was actually a Western Bonelli's Warbler, I thought I would go back through my warbler photos I took as a very green birder in Gibraltar in March 2017; so far its already yielded 3 Sardinian Warblers which I had written off as blackcaps at the time, so I was definitely not on my warbler game at all back then, even less than now...

Anyway, there are a few labelled 'Common Chiffchaff' which I would like second opinions on, in case any turn out to be Iberian Chiffchaff (which I do not know how to separate except by call, and I made no recordings) or some other crazy European warbler I'm unaware of!

Photos 1&2 are the same bird, as are 4&5.

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello,
all seems to be Common Chiffchaff/Iberian Chiffchaff to me. I hope someone with more experience can help here, I have seen just a few Iberian Chiffchaffs in July/August so I would like to learn here.

 

[rylirk]

Hi Alexander,
Just to be clear, these photos were taken in March 2017

 

[rylirk]

Are common and Iberian Chiffchaff actually separable by images alone - I am reading mixed things? Does anyone know which would be more common in Gibraltar in March?

 

[CARERY]

Iberian Chiffchaff is migrating to Africa and AFAIK most do not return before April. So, good chance they are Common Chiffchaffs...

You also might find this of interest:

https://www.birdguides.com/articles/identification/common-and-iberian-chiffchaffs-and-willow-warbler-photo-id-guide/

 

[rylirk]

Thanks for this! I'm familiar with the Chiffchaff/Willow Warbler challenge and am reasonably confident with those two, but it's interesting to learn about this awkward middle child as well!