First Signs of Spring on the Wing
You can listen as well as look for the first signs of spring and the call of the Chiffchaff never fails to delight. This small buff and brown bird, sometimes described by bird watchers as one of the Small Brown Jobs or SBJs, is for many the sound of early spring. Chiffchaffs are not true migrants, but they do move south in response to cold weather, often wintering in southern Europe. They have always been one of the first birds to return in spring and now, in response to climate change, more Chiffchaffs are remaining in the UK over winter, moving to warmer places and waiting for spring before starting to sing.
The Chiffchaff is a leaf warbler, restlessly searching for small insects on the undersides of leaves, sometimes hovering and reaching to pick them off or darting out to catch them on the wing when, if you listen carefully, you may hear its bill snap shut on the insect. Its fine, needle-like bill is perfect for picking up its prey.
The Chiffchaff calls its name, an example of onomatopoeia like the Cuckoo. It has a loud, two-tone song and can sing for hours on end. March is a great time to spot as well as hear Chiffchaffs as many of the taller trees that they favour are still without leaves. British warblers tend to have subtle, camouflaged plumage and many look very similar, particularly if you are peering into a tree or shrub catching a glimpse of part of a moving bird! The Chiffchaff is nearly identical to the Willow Warbler for example but has a completely different song and this is the easiest way to identify these birds.
So listen out for your first Chiffchaff and if you hear one in your local churchyard or cemetery then you can record it using iNaturalist by visiting https://uk.inaturalist.org/projects/beautiful-burial-grounds You can use this to upload a recording of the song, much easier than trying to get a photograph!