My first Chiffchaff of 2014

I heard a Chiffchaff today. It was the first one I have heard singing this spring. I didn't hear it in Endon, but while I was habitat surveying near Ford Green Nature Reserve I preparation for participating in the British Trust for Ornithology's Breeding Bird Survey 2014. Did this one fly in from its overwintering grounds Africa or somewhere in Europe or has it spent the winter in a the British Isles? I do not know. At one time most Chiffchaffs used to leave Britain to overwinter in warmer climes, however in more recent years, as our climate has warmed, more individuals are able to find adequate food to survive the winter hence increasing numbers save the energy involved in migrating south and spend their winters in the milder regions of the British Isles.

I have never seen a Chiffchaff in Endon during winter, however other birdwatchers have. These birds find enough winter food by catching insects at Endon Sewage Works.