mystery bird competition!

[DEREK CHARLES]

Hello Everyone.
3 poor photos for you to id.Answers tomorrow evening if no-one guesses correctly!
All the best
Derek

[Hotspur]

House sparrow Meadow Pipit and erm..Black headed Gull

[DEREK CHARLES]

Hi James.
All three incorrect,try again.
All the best
Derek

[Nigel G]

Rock Pipit
Tree Pipit - would have gone for Mipit on the toe length but if you say its wrong!
Pass - give in on that I'm afraid.

[david2004]

The first one looks like a female House Sparrow to me.

[DEREK CHARLES]

Hello Nigel,
Tree Pipit is correct for number 2.
Here is a slightly better photo of it.
House sparrow is incorrect.
All the best
Derek

[Lucky Birder]

1. Spanish Sparrow
2. Tree Pipit
3. Little Gull

[M Cowming]

Hi Del,

No.1 is a Sparrow. That's correct isn't it ;)
No.2 I'm interested to hear why it's a Tree Pipit and not a Meadow Pipit. Flank streaking is very heavy for a tripit, also the hind toe is quite long and the bill seems to fit mipit better.
No.3...I'll take a stab at Grey Phalarope.

Regards,

[DEREK CHARLES]

Hello,
Lucky Birder you are correct on all 3.Pictures were taken on Lesvos last week.The pipit was heard to call several times.
Have more mystery bird photos from same trip and will post some later.
All the best
Derek

[CJW]

That's not a Tree Pipit, it's a Meadow Pipit.
BWP makes reference to the fact that many people put too much importance on the supposed call differences.

[Lucky Birder]

Do I get a prize or something?

[Lucky Birder]

CJW, the hind claw isn't long enough for Meadow, but I guess you were joking about the call?

[DEREK CHARLES]

Hello Lucky Birder and Chris.
Unfortuneately no prize ,just the satisfaction ok knowing you are very clever!
Chris this bird is a Tree Pipit believe me!
All the best
Derek

[alcedo.atthis]

"Chris this bird is a Tree Pipit believe me!"


Derek, fit kind oh tree is that it is on then? cause to me also, its a Mippit!!


Regards

Malky

[M Cowming]

It's still a Meadow Pipit for me, regardless of call. There are too many pro-Mipit features on show. Lucky Birder, if you look at the original silhouetted pic of the pipit, you will see that the hind claw is quite long. This is lost in the attempted "brightening" of the pic.

Still Mipit for me til the features evident in the photo can be proved pro-Tripit...which i doubt.

Regards,

[DEREK CHARLES]

Hi everyone,
Is a Tree Pipits call diagnostic or not.If it is not we are all in trouble.Can a Meadow Pipit give a Tree Pipit call? I do not believe it can.This bird called like a Tree Pipit repeatedly.Therefore it is a Tree Pipit until someone tells me a Meadow Pipit can repeatedly call like a Tree Pipit.There is also no chance whatsover of the Two bird Theory.
All the best
Derek

[Tim Allwood]

if it's razzing overhead going speeeezzz! it's a tripit

otherwise the calls can be similar

Tim

[Lucky Birder]

M Cowming, the hind claw looks longish, but in Meadow it's huge and not quite so curved. I don't think the flank streaking is right for Mippit and the profile is definitely Tree, also the breast background colour on the brightened pic, what's visible also looks good for Tree.
As for the calls, I did once hear a Trippit in Morocco in November 1995, which did have slightly Mippit like qualities, and in the end it was the hind claw that clinched it, as it was walking around on Tarmac with Mippits.

[M Cowming]

Hi Lucky,

I take your point but I have seen plenty of both species also and would think that seeing a tripit on tarmac next to mipits would make identification quite a bit easier, without even referring to the hind toe?
Disregarding the bird's call which Del is adamant was tripit, can we just discuss what's available to us? We have just this photo and as I said, I'm not convinced it's a tripit on this evidence alone. If Del is certain it was a tripit, so be it. I'm just saying what I'm seeing. You say the flank streaking is not right for Mipit...then what is it right for..Tripit? As far as I can see...this bird has heavy flank streaking. Tripits do..as the book says...have pencil thin streaks.

Not trying to drag this out..just as I say, saying what i see.

Regards,

[Lucky Birder]

OK fine, we'll agree to differ. Nothing wrong with a healthy disagreement about ID.