I know it's not Big Garden Birdwatch time, but I figured this group could help. I saw my first Chiff Chaff or Garden Warbler in my garden yesterday (hopping about a rose bush that's just coming into leaf; in the middle of the day). I didn't hear it sing and I didn't get a photo - does anyone have a good photo of one or any practical tips for how I could tell the difference, please?
It would be quite early still for a Garden Warbler, not impossible but probability strongly favours Chiffchaff datewise - they are early returners and also a few overwinter.
In terms of looks, Garden Warbler looks very plain, the eye prominent and beady-looking in its almost unmarked face. It's light brown, the colour of milky tea, with a vague greyish wash around its neck. It has a fairly sturdy build and quite a thick bill for a warbler, it also has more strongly built legs and feet than Chiffchaff. Chiffchaff looks lighter and more dinky with a very thin bill, slim dark legs, more olive-toned than brown, and has a quite strong face pattern (dark stripe through eye, pale stripe above eye). Chiffchaff is actually much more similar to Willow Warbler than it is to Garden Warbler - Willow Warbler is brighter with a bolder face pattern, longer wings and (usually) pale legs.
Here's a Garden Warbler (this is a young bird so quite fluffy-looking - an adult would be sleeker):
and here's a Chiffchaff.
My blog: http://mazzaswildside.blogspot.co.uk/
My Flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/124028194@N04/
Here is a pic I took of a chiffchaff in my garden, hope this helps
Mel x
In reply to smooch40:
smooch40 said: Here is a pic I took of a chiffchaff in my garden, hope this helps
This is actually a Common Whitethroat!
In reply to aiki:
I asked springwatch to Identify it and they said chiffchaff. I didn't have a clue what it was! But thanks for clearing that up!
Thanks, everyone. I really appreciate the description, Aiki, and have now had a hunt round here for other photographs and I'm going with chiff chaff, with the one reservation that I didn't notice face markings (I was using binoculars, so it was pretty clear). It was definitely delicate-looking, dark legs, thin bill and a really beautiful brown head through back and wings with a creamy upper breast blending into paler underneath - robin-sizes or smaller and simply beautiful - dainty. I really do hope it comes back so I get another look!
In reply to Paula:
This is the pic. that convinced me: www.rspb.org.uk/.../105830.aspx
Hi-
you believed springwatch??????
s
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