Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden). Notoriously tricky to ID because they are so similar to Willow Warblers. However, the latter being a long-distance migrant has long primary wing projections, not short and kind of dumpy-looking wings like this. In addition, Willow Warblers instead have a strongly defined supercilium and a less obviously eye ring. It had me a bit confused as these legs are quite orangey for a ChiffChaff - who are supposed to have dark legs. But apparently they can vary so that alone can't be used for ID. Males and females look alike.

Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) (17/08/2006) Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden). Notoriously tricky to ID because they are so similar to Willow Warblers. However, the latter being a long-distance migrant has long primary wing projections, not short and kind of dumpy-looking wings like this. In addition, Willow Warblers instead have a strongly defined supercilium and a less obviously eye ring. It had me a bit confused as these legs are quite orangey for a ChiffChaff - who are supposed to have dark legs. But apparently they can vary so that alone can't be used for ID. Males and females look alike.

Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden). But yet, these legs had me confused. Chiffchaffs are supposed to have dark legs. Here you can see they are kind of orangey which would be more associated with a Willow Warbler.

Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) (17/08/2006) Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden). But yet, these legs had me confused. Chiffchaffs are supposed to have dark legs. Here you can see they are kind of orangey which would be more associated with a Willow Warbler.

Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden). Short, dumpy wings unlike the long (especially primary projections) of the long-distance migrant Willow Warbler. Also the latter has pale ear coverts but Chiffchaff have darker ones as here.

Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) (17/08/2006) Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden). Short, dumpy wings unlike the long (especially primary projections) of the long-distance migrant Willow Warbler. Also the latter has pale ear coverts but Chiffchaff have darker ones as here.

Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden). The best way to tell Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers apart is from their call - A chiffchaff has a call that sounds like its name! A Willow Warbler "warbles"!

Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) (17/08/2006) Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden). The best way to tell Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers apart is from their call - A chiffchaff has a call that sounds like its name! A Willow Warbler "warbles"!

Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) (17/08/2006) Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden).

Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) (16/04/2007) Cissbury Ring, Worthing.

Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) (08/04/2007) Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden).

RSPB Pulborough Brooks. A more typical specimen - dark legs and strongly spectacled eyes. This one is gathering nest material.

Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) (24/08/2008) RSPB Pulborough Brooks. A more typical specimen - dark legs and strongly spectacled eyes. This one is gathering nest material.

Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) (24/08/2008) RSPB Pulborough Brooks.

RSPB Pulborough Brooks. You can really see the spectacles here - Willow Warbler instead hardly has them.

Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) (24/08/2008) RSPB Pulborough Brooks. You can really see the spectacles here - Willow Warbler instead hardly has them.

Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) (24/08/2008) RSPB Pulborough Brooks.