The chiffchaff RRE007

On Monday April 6, 2026 I spotted a ringed chiffchaff on the moor. After a few days of taking pictures I read the ring and submitted the reading to the Euring, the ringing scheme organisation.

It turned out that the bird was one year old and was ringed in Bridge of Don area on September 8, 2025 as a young one. What I find remarkable is that it returned to its birth place after the first migration. It is unclear where it migrated as chiffchaffs can go anywhere from northern Africa to southern Europe, or they can even stay in Britain.

Here is the full report I obtained from the Euring:

Ringing Scheme: London.
Ring Number: RRE007.
Species of bird: Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita).
This bird was ringed by Grampian Rg as age: definitely hatched during current year, sex unknown on 08-Sep-2025 11:00:00 at Shielhill, near Bridge of Don, Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland.
OS Map reference NJ9312 accuracy 0, - co-ordinates 57deg 11min N -2deg -6min W accuracy 0.
It was found on 10-Apr-2026 time unknown at Bridge of Don, Aberdeen, Scotland.
OS Map reference NJ9409 accuracy 0, - co-ordinates 57deg 10min N -2deg -5min W accuracy 0.
Finding condition: Sight record by non-ringer.
Finding circumstances: Metal Ring Read In Field.
Extra Information: Read from photos.
It was found 214 days after it was ringed, 4 km from the ringing site, direction SSE.

The bird stayed on the moor and successfully bred producing 4 offspring. I first saw the fledglings on June 3 and I watched the whole family every day.

**One of the fledglings (June 16, 2026).**

Both the female and the male turned out to be fantastic parents. For example, after the young left the nest the female was always with them. When she spotted me she would make an alarm call and the male appeared in just a few seconds even if it was singing on the trees quite far away. Then they both made calls at me, often from a place away from the fledglings. I also saw him harassing a magpie. I would expect such a behaviour from an experienced bird, but RRE007 is just one year old!

The young dispersed by the end of June. Between June 20-30 I was on holidays. In the beginning of July two chiffchaffs were still singing on the moor. After the first week only one of them stayed but wasn't singing any more. It was RRE007. It was mostly heard and hard to see as he was moving restlessly inside the gorse or trees. Then I spotted a female carrying food with RRE007 calling nearby. It turned out that RRE007 had a second brood.

I saw and heard RRE007 last time on July 20 (I left for two weeks on July 21).