Chiffchaff

The Chiffchaff has been singing for a couple of weeks now since its return from Africa during March. It is the avian herald-song of spring and easily picked out from the background of birdsong once it has been committed to memory.  

The traditional story has it that the bird was named after its song, but if that were the case it would in fact be called a Chiffchaffchaff, almost as if it is unsure of its own name. www.xeno-canto.org is a sharing site that collates birdsong and allows links to its collection. This example has been selected from 137 pages of Chiffchaff vocalisations.

It is a tiny creature, weighing less than 10g that spends the worst of the winter in Africa, returning in time to welcome the spring. It has bred in Bicknor Wood and builds a dome-style nest on the ground amongst the brambles.

Commonly they sing or call from on high, but frequently descend into the lower layers to feed. This individual was seen amongst the brambles along the southern path.