A nice still morning ringing in Durlston’s garden.
Similar number and mix of birds to Wednesday but with 6 Tree Pipits and a Green Woodpecker.
The Chiffchaffs we are catching are either juveniles yet to undergo post juvenile moult or adults in full wing moult, i.e. local breeders. In contrast both young and adult Willow Warblers have completed their moult indicating they are from further afield
In the field the darker legs, shorter wings, dingy flanks and greyer plumage would help separate this Chiffchaff from Willow Warbler.....
..but in the hand the emargination of the 6th primary is diagnostic.
Adult Common Whitethroats have fresh plumage by August, like first years birds, so ageing is performed on eye colour (hazel brown) .......
..... and white rather than buff outer tail feather. Note the white extends onto the tip of the next to outermost tail feather.
Before the post juvenile moult, Blackcaps cannot be sexed. This bird has completed the PJ moult and is clearly a male. However the pointed tail feather still allow it to be identified as a first year bird.
A juvenile on plumage, this Green Woodpecker surprised us when we found it was ...
.... moulting wings and tail.........
.... until we realised that Green Woodpeckers have a complex post juvenile moult which includes primaries, tail and most body feathers but not secondaries, tertials or primary coverts.
gryllosblog 
Leave a Reply