Chiff Chaff

Chiff Chaffs are difficult to see. They are small, they are camouflaged, and they move so quickly that just when you see them, they aren’t there any more.

We are lucky today, though, as we seem to have picked the perfect spot to watch them. There is a small group of Chiff Chaff in a twiggy tree overhanging the water of a lake in this Italian nature reserve. It’s next to a bird hide from which we are able to watch them without disturbance.

They fly erratically from their perches, do acrobatics and then return with their prize catch; a nutritious insect.

I could watch them for hours; and I do.