Autumn high
17 Sep 2013
Chiffchaff featured in a BirdTrack update in late March this year, as we highlighted the species' tardy arrival in response to the extremely cold conditions in early spring. Following that worrying start to the breeding season, the Chiffchaff reporting rate bounced back to normal, with the peak spring reporting rate seeing it feature on just over 50% of complete lists by the third week of April. Next came a second, smaller peak in late June, probably the result of males singing again to attract mates for a second brood. The mid summer slump that is typical of many passerines followed, during which the reporting rate dropped to less than 20% of complete lists in late July. Mid September – or, more precisely, week 38 – sees a third high, as numbers of dispersing breeding adults are bolstered by birds that hatched this year. The numbers are likely to be further supplemented by continental birds passing through on their way south, though falls of migrant Chiffchaff can occur as late as mid October.
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