As I went out with Bunty at lunchtime I thought I heard a Chiffchaff calling in the wood next to our garden, so, on our return, I grabbed bins and camera and hung around at the end of the house to see if it would emerge. I waited for a good 15 minutes and was about to give up when up it popped just next to our garden wall. It then fed the same circuit as my various other garden migrants recently, venturing along the sheltered SW corner, around my small sallows and brambles especially planted for the purpose.
It looked to be a dark individual but called just like our own Chiffs, so I assume its a 'collybita'?
Regardless of its race, it was a welcome reminder of autumn to punctuate these grim winter days.
4 comments:
I had a chiff in our tiny garden yesterday too, got the pulse racing when I saw it flick out of our hedge flycatching ! Shame it wasn't a hume's....
Is it the standard "Dweep-dwoop" chiffy song? I've heard so many. But never seen one!
Gaz - Yes I do hope that every little sub-call I hear from a coal tit just might be the one...
Simon - No singing is different to a bird calling. Chiffchaffs call a 'hweet' note rather than that tsip tsap tsip tsat song...When you hear one this spring go and follow it until you see it flicking around some sallow catkins....
Our chiff was in the garden again this morning before disappearing over the fence to the old quarry behind our place.
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