Bald As A C... hiffchaff

I love the onomatopoeic song of the chiffchaff that heralds Spring. One of the many pleasures associated with driving a convertible car is the being able to hear birdsong as one drives along country lanes. Some chiffchaffs overwinter here but most fly in from Africa in late March.

This chiffchaff, a female I think as males rarely get involved in rearing young, has a nest in a disused glasshouse. She has been backwards and forwards, flitting her tail furiously, with tasty morsels for her brood. All she says is, "Weet!"

She is as bald as a coot. I photographed a great tit this time last year that was similarly challenged. Nobody is really sure why this happens. It could be due to the stress of raising a family, maybe an early moult or she could have a mite infestation. The head of a bird is the only area it can't preen. People have observed that these bald birds regain their feathers after a few weeks.

This dead tree with its Xanthoria lichen is a favourite perch for lots of birds. Hope to present the little wren that loves it to you soon. :)