Pipits
Posted: Sun May 16, 2010 8:12 pm
Pipits:
Looking for a little ID assistance - was fortunate enough to spend the day at Caernarfon Castle today and saw several birds inside the castle walls that I am sure were Pipits but I'm not certain which one. Checking my various bird books I am stuck between Meadow, Rock and Tawny. Rock and Tawny seem the closest size-wise but Meadow is supposed to be more common. We may have seen two different species as one was considerably bigger than the other. Unfortunately didn't have proper camera with me, did try recording on the Flip but as it only has 2x zoom the recording is very poor, don't think it's good enough to ID from.
When I first spotted thought it was a thrush but then decided it was too small, and the movement was all wrong. The movement brought to mind that of a wagtail and I really struggled to get close, hence the poor vid, because it was very nervy. According to my books that seems to suggest the Meadow Pipit but I would say it was larger and the bill was quite hefty looking for such a small bird, the colouring was quite dark, more grey than brown,which also seems closer to a Rock Pipit. Is the movement similar with all Pipits, or would that quite specific movement be enough to distinguish it from the others?
Whichever one it is I will be chuffed because although my book says that Meadow Pipits are relatively common I have never noticed one before, once again the CMI training is paying off. By the way, just as an aside, it also helped me spot a Cormorant helping itself to a rather large Common Eel that was intent on getting away, at the harbour.
Looking for a little ID assistance - was fortunate enough to spend the day at Caernarfon Castle today and saw several birds inside the castle walls that I am sure were Pipits but I'm not certain which one. Checking my various bird books I am stuck between Meadow, Rock and Tawny. Rock and Tawny seem the closest size-wise but Meadow is supposed to be more common. We may have seen two different species as one was considerably bigger than the other. Unfortunately didn't have proper camera with me, did try recording on the Flip but as it only has 2x zoom the recording is very poor, don't think it's good enough to ID from.
When I first spotted thought it was a thrush but then decided it was too small, and the movement was all wrong. The movement brought to mind that of a wagtail and I really struggled to get close, hence the poor vid, because it was very nervy. According to my books that seems to suggest the Meadow Pipit but I would say it was larger and the bill was quite hefty looking for such a small bird, the colouring was quite dark, more grey than brown,which also seems closer to a Rock Pipit. Is the movement similar with all Pipits, or would that quite specific movement be enough to distinguish it from the others?
Whichever one it is I will be chuffed because although my book says that Meadow Pipits are relatively common I have never noticed one before, once again the CMI training is paying off. By the way, just as an aside, it also helped me spot a Cormorant helping itself to a rather large Common Eel that was intent on getting away, at the harbour.