One of the more striking small birds we see at this time of year are the chiffchaffs. They are very easily mistaken for willow warblers, and indeed I'm never really certain which one I've seen. But I'll stick with chiffchaffs for now, and wait to be corrected. I noticed them when I was back at the whitethroat haunt, which overlooks the buzzard field, which happens to be where the martins and swallows also gather. It's a good little spot 🙂
The chiffchaffs were flitting around in the branches of the trees, every now and then emerging for just long enough to grab a photo. 
There's a chiffchaff there, somewhere
Taking off from a perch
Sitting pretty
Preening
A young chiffchaff, photographed through the undergrowth
There were numerous butterflies about, but I'll just post this shot of a female meadow wall brown which thoughtfully posed on my camera bag.
Camera note: all shots taken with the EF 400mm f/5.6L USM, except (quite obviously) the butterfly which I grabbed with the Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG macro lens.
gdare
14 Aug 2009Nicely caught a moment of a take off :up:
That butterfly is wannabe model, standing in front and close to your lenses 😀
SittingFox
14 Aug 2009I'm so glad to hear that there are butterflies that come to photographers – I've learnt this year how hard it is to keep up with them when they're flying away!
:sing: Chiff chaff choff chiff chiff choff chiff…at least, that's my favoured way of telling them apart from willow warblers!
Flying Red Fox Blog
14 Aug 2009Very nice photos 😀
Words
15 Aug 2009Adele, chasing flying butterflies is a tough act! I'm hopeless with bird song (well I can tell a green woodpecker when I hear it). I should try to learn their calls a bit better. It really helps as so often you can hear before you can see.
Words
15 Aug 2009Mark, thanks!
Words
15 Aug 2009Darko, that was a lucky shot with the take off! The butterfly is looking a bit ragged, but nice of it to stop by like that.
SittingFox
15 Aug 2009Are you sure on the butterfly id though? Looks more like a wall brown to me, although the markings aren't quite that pronounced.
Words
15 Aug 2009Whoops! I'm sure now.. you're right, it's a wall brown. That was lazy of me. I stopped checking once I'd eliminated a gatekeeper by counting the spots :doh:
Ukwildlife
16 Aug 2009Nice wall brown and chiffchaffs. I find chiffcahffs a bit of pain to photograph, they are one of those hide behing a twig birds, despite their habit of singing from the tops of trees!
Words
16 Aug 2009Neil, yes the twigs can indeed be a bit of a pain sometimes. Cute birds tough, and always a pleasure to come across.