Whilst watching the very odd Chiffchaff-thing yesterday, I heard a Yellow-browed Warbler calling about 50 metres to my left.
I thought it completely absurd, put it down to being a particularly strong calling Coal Tit and gave it no further thought.
Along with another 2 local guys, we descended the bank to view the Chiffthing by the stream, when again I heard a Yellow-browed calling. This time I decided to dig it out and surely enough I found it feeding high up in the canopy.
I couldn't believe it. This place is on the edge of a housing estate and certainly not your average migration hotspot. Yet we also had 20+ flyover Redpolls!!!
Anyway, I went back today and it is still present along with the Chiffthing showing well and actually singing at the bottom of the playing fields by the stone bridge at the back of Ferndale on the Birch Green Housing Estate.
The Chiffthing is well worth going to see. It is singing kind of like an Iberian Chiffchaff, but there are way too many discrepancies for it to be one. It also doesn't really fit the bill appearance-wise.
The current view is that it may well be an as yet virtually unknown form known as "biscayensis"
Go and see it!!!
It sounds an interesting one Tom. I'd be interested in reading a brief description if you've time. I've seen the odd not very clear photograph of this bird but a few words might well be worth more in this instance.
I have the feeling that there are quite a few 'odd' forms of Chiffchaff out there - a very complex group. I sometimes wonder if the idea of there being 'pure' forms with integrades between them is a bit misleading. Aren't they all integrades in the end?
There is a clear pic of it on surfbirds at it looks 100% like a Chiffchaff! Well done on the YBW!