Chiffchaff

Mostly an early arriving summer visitor which stays to breed, but also the occasional overwintering bird.

1991 - Abietinus race specimen near the hide. (BS)

14/04/95 - 7 singing males

??/12/96 - 1 or 2 over wintering birds

05/06/98 - 5 singing males & a pair with fledged young. 3 birds seen in December

??/01/99 - 3 birds. 3 singing males in May

06/04/02 - max of 5 birds

04/04/03 - max of 8 birds

30/03/04 11 birds max

07/09/04 - Single bird calling like siberian race

06/04/05 - 8 birds max

15/08/06 - 6+ birds

29/07/07 - 5 moving with tit flock (up to 4 singing in May)

17/03/08 - first bird of year, maximum 3 from April to July

16/03/09 - first singing bird, max 3 at end of March, one through Oct/Nov/Dec

24/03/10 - first singing bird. Overwintering bird through January, 12+ on 05/04, 5 singing 10/05

16/03/11 - first singing bird. 6 birds 28/03, up to 3 singing later in spring and 1 or 2 seen right into December

19/03/12 - first singing bird. Up to 4 through April, May, June and July, then 1 or 2 through to November

23/03/13 - Incredible fall of 80+ birds and up to 18 seen daily over the next couple of weeks

18/03/14 - 3 birds. Up to 5 through April & May, then up to 3 in June & July. Only heard twice in August, then 1 or 2 singing throughout September. Last date 30/09

15/03/15 - first 2 birds, numbers increasing in April with 'numerous' birds on 09/04. Song heard throughout until 20/07 with a juvenile seen on 08/07. Recorded on 36 dates with 2 out of season birds on 31/12

27/03/16 - Rather late first birds, but 12+ present that day. 10 on 10/04 and smaller numbers throughout the summer until 26/09. Pair with food on 08/06, also 2 wintering birds on 04/12

26/02/17 - 1 bird maybe over wintered. First singing bird on 09/03. Max of 6 singing during June and max 6 seen in August and September

11/03/18 - 1 bird singing. Max 8 on 05/04. Last one seen on 25/09

15/03/19 - first singing bird, however 2 birds at the north end on 12/03 were considered new arrivals. Singing birds maxed at 4 on 28/04 and continued to sing through May and June. Also winter birds with 1 or 2 during January and February at the south end and a surprising 6+ on 23/11

19/03/20 - first single bird singing. 4 singing on 20/03 and numerous on 25/03. Up to 2 in July, but none in August. One or 2 through September with last one heard on 29/10

25/03/21 - late first bird. Then regular with up to 3 singing in May. Last summer singing bird on 23/06. None seen or heard in July or August, then up to 2 calling in September and October. A single bird stayed into the winter and was seen and heard until 13/12

12/03/22 - Just a call heard on first date, but song heard on 17/03. Up to 3 singing in March and up to 2 singing through June and into July. 4 singing on 03/09 were presumably migrants? Calls heard and birds seen into November.

16/03/23 - first single bird singing. 3 birds singing on 22/03. Up to 5 singing in April, 4 in May and 3 in June and July. Then mostly calls of up to 3 birds all through to mid December.