In reply to Climbing Pieman:
> Chiffchaff - ha ha never did learn how to easily tell the difference between them and Willow Warblers last year! Must try harder this year.
You tell the difference by the songs - very obvious - although there are some small differences in appearance (CC dark legs, WW paler legs, WW has slightly longer eyestripe, overall WW tends to be slightly yellower), they're not easy to see, not always definitive and the within species variation can be as large as the difference. If you're taking photos then it'll be easier to identify a silent bird from them than whilst you're looking at it.
My first Chiffchaff this year was last Thursday in the middle of Salford!!! Most lunchtimes I get my eyes off the screen by walking along a little stretch of the River Irwell for half an hour - a mile from the Manchester city centre - river looks a mess but it's teeming with fish; Kingfishers, Goosanders - loads - I've seen 60 in one place before now, and Goldeneye in the winter - up to 30 at a time, Little Egret on a couple of occasions.
A couple of interesting Chiffchaff/Willow Warbler migration facts:
- CCs arrive a bit earlier than WWs - they winter further north so don't have so far to fly.
- WWs have slightly bigger wings than CCs (apparently only measurable in the hand) - they have to fly further so have developed bigger wings.