I think this is another chiffchaff but always best to check. Help please

I took this a while ago and thought it was Willow Warbler but my ID,s are not great and think it could be a chiffchaff ?

  • Dark legs suggest chiffchaff.
  • In reply to ItisaRobbo:

    just the one but its the same as the first that had the contrast taken away, I have Included it now if it is of any use.
  • In my opinion it looks more like a Willow Warbler. However I'm not 100% certain. ChiffChaff is dingier, browner and less yellow in colour. Also more compact in shape. It's wings are shorter than a Willows and in my opinion your image is more reminicsent of a Willows. Your bird's tail is pointing downwards which is more characteristic of ChiffChaff but this is by no means definitive. ChiffChaff is more buff on flanks but supercilium is less strongly pronounced. This bird has a very pronounced supercilium. Leg colour is by no means a safe distinction since some ChiffChaffs have pale legs and Willows dark ones. Thanks for sharing. Nice pictures
  • Hi-

    am I the only one seeing a long Primary projection here?

    S

    For advice about Birding, Identification,field guides,  binoculars, scopes, tripods,  etc - put 'Birding Tips'   into the search box

  • Sorry. I had expected and intended to respond yesterday. I know ILR often has a spare photo or two up a sleeve so thought an extra one would be helpful before I wrote my once or twice a year theory about darkish legs with orangeyish feet. The "I took this a while ago" also had me thinking back a few years to an i.d. where a subsequent photo flipped it from one species to another. (not ILR one). WW arrive in UK later than CC as a rule (though obviously both are here now and have been for a little while). Not sure what I was thinking though as it's unlike me to hesitate!

    Anyway, I agree re willow warbler, not least face is more like typical ww than cc. The legs and feet combo is the bit I wanted to type yesterday. I still have yet to see a chiffchaff with pale legs/feet. I know they exist but every photo showing pale feet, I want to see something that says it's a chiffchaff....and I've yet to see any photo do that. There are a lot of ww's with dark legs......and a huge number of those have pale feet like this individual.
  • Thank you all for your contributions most helpful