20th April


Ring Ouzel: 1 male flew NW at 8.20 am.
Lesser Redpoll: 2 singles over.
Linnet: 1 over
Sedge Warbler: 1 still present by Hanover Bridge in reeds, area 2.
Willow Warbler: At least 2o birds singing.
Chiffchaff: 3 birds still possibly holding territories.
Blackcap: 10 males and 6 females.

Comments

Debbie Pledge said…
Hello.
Is the photo a willow warbler?
Also, I'm not sure what you mean by the chiffchaffs 'possibly holding territories'. What is it about their behaviour that makes you think that? How long would they try a particular area before giving up and moving somewhere else? Hope these questions make sense!
Thanks, Debbie.
Hi Debbie.
The photo is a Willow Warbler. Their plumage is normally brighter than Chiffchaffs, espcially in the autumn.This bird shows a greenish tinge, also the legs are pink. This is normally a good clue though occasionaly, but not often chiffies have paler lighter legs rather than the normal dark. You do not get dark legged Willows.
The areas that the Chiffchaffs are holding territory are the traditional sites. You will have noticed that the Willows really out number the Chiffies, that is because the chiffies migrate through first having travelled not as far. They winter around the med and North Africa. The Willows have longer primaries as they travel from south of the Sahara.