Need help - poss chiffchaff or willow warbler

Question

Hi all 
 
 This little bird landed on my garden wall yesterday and we need help to ID it, I think it's a chiffchaff but also looks like a willow warbler, it made no noise and was rummaging in the brambles in an overgrown alleyway. Anyway, nice surprise as at first sight i thought it was a robin, pretty exciting if it's either one as we live in central southsea and we only usually get gulls and wood pigeons in our garden! Any help would be truly appreciated

stealthybutnotthatstealthy · Accepted Answer

Chiffchaffs arrive earlier (or don't even depart in some cases), and more likely in most gardens, so law of averages etc....but unable to i.d. from photos of photos, esp as they are relatively similar looking. Are you able to upload one of the top two photos?

Cris · Answer

And there is also a reasonable overwintering population of chiffchaffs these days, so it's by far the most likely candidate for this time of year.

WendyBartter · Answer

Google Lens weighs in with Chiffchaff too for what it's worth?

Ian Barthorpe · Answer

Keys features to ID as this as a Chiffchaff rather than Willow Warbler (apart from the latter being almost exclusively a summer visitor) are dark legs and a very short primary projection - that's how far the wing tips extend towards to the tail. As short-distance migrants Chiffchaffs have very short wings in relation to Willow Warbler. Chiffchaff is an increasingly common winter visitor, as well as common summer migrant, whereas there are very few winter reocrds of Willow Warbler in the UK