A New Garden Visitor but What?

Chiffchaff or Willow Warbler..???

There were 2 of them but didn't stop long, didn't call not that a would have heard with Mr BB constantly singing!!!!

That's all I got of them...thanks in advance ;-)

(Pardon the Scottish Accent)

  • If only Robbo was around to confirm our initial thoughts Pete!! ;-)

    (Pardon the Scottish Accent)

  • I don’t depend on books or websites online too much. And I also take notice of lots of other details including a birds Taxonomy.aswell  its not just about the looks of a bird and stuff and Theres bird calls and behaviours aswell. And even not just that but habitat time of year and other details as well. And tend to draw and write them down aswell I  put it all together in my head rather then isolate them it can help with identification.  Even more. I wasn’t going by  The RSPB thing I sent. I only  sent it cause it might be helpful for (other)  people.  iv had an eventful day so wanted to rest.  I can identify most birds without looking at the identification books  I have .  if I try to identify something and I have tryed and I really don’t know I will normally say I don’t know. cause of the comfuseing day Iv had offline I havnt been  thinking properly and it’s cause I hadn’t been thinking properly that I mis read.  And also why I  sent thimgs that could be easily mis understood. When I said I had a comfuseing evening I actually meant Iv had a comfuseing day. I don’t know how I managed to miss read what was put on top of the post  but it shows how confused I had been that day. I put what I thought originally and not what I think at the time I commented cause I had too much of a comfuseing day to think properly enough to contribute as well as I normaly do  so  I needed to rest before commenting but if I didn’t comment there and then everyone else would of already contributed before I have a chance to contribute. But going to let you know when im completely sure like I said 


  • The BOU decide on taxonomical matters and although I’m not sure exactly what methods they have used previously, in the Willow Warbler/ Chiffchaff case they would consider the completely different song/call of the species along with leg colour (although this alone is not a definitive feature in these species) and positive measurable indicators such as primary projection, length and markings of other feathers that can only be seen when a bird is caught and examined etc. They also test DNA but not sure if they have done in this case.
  • What you need to do is rule out the more common candidate - and in this case Chiffchaff.

    If you can't rule out Chiffchaff then you need to prove (with evidence garnered from your photos - or a call heard) that it is something else.

    So looking at your photos there's nothing to rule out Chiffchaff and nothing strong enough to rule in any other candidate - so there you have it.

    Yes, sometimes you may have seen a WW but if you can't 100% prove it was then that bird is left unidentifiable as a WW.
  • Thanks rspbailey....now putting the thread to bed and adding chiffchaff to my list  of garden visitors ;-)

    (Pardon the Scottish Accent)

  • I don’t mean to be a pain but I think there might of been abit of a mix up. If you still don’t want to change I’d that’s ok but I just thought it would be worth pointing out. The RSPB says Chifchaffs are less common than Willow warblers. Im not saying weather its a Chiffchaff or  a willow warbler. And im not saying  which i think it might or might not be either. Due to that  it has already been verified But  I just thought it might be a good idea to point it out. 

    https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/birdwatching/how-to-identify-birds/similar-summer-visitors/

  • Don't believe everything you read on the RSPB site....lots of information is way outdated Zo!
    I have NO reason to change my mind. It was a Chiffchaff

    (Pardon the Scottish Accent)

  • Zo, when suggesting 'more common' - more likely to be seen, identified and heard.
  • I don’t believe everything I see online and that goes for RSPB and other conservation websites also. but I figured it was worth pointing out just in case. I don’t exspect people to change I’d and didn’t exspect them to Exspeacially since it’s already been verified Thats why I said if you don’t want to change ID that’s ok. just in case that’s how it comes across. I wasn’t makeing any suggestions. just pointing something out. thought it would be worth pointing it out just in case Of a mix up since the RSPB even if they don’t allways They normally do know there stuff and might of said otherwise since we are opting for the more common.

  • All you have done is copied and pasted things...nothing in your own experience. As rspbailey quite rightly put it "nothing beats experience"...

    (Pardon the Scottish Accent)