Water Pipit or "littoralis"Rock Pipit , Ayrshire, Scotland (1 Viewer)

[Laruslister]

This Pipit is confusing me slightly as the very white underparts and obvious white supecilium and upperpart colour are telling me Water Pipit going into summer plumage, but the heavy straking on the underparts make me think "littoralis". Anyone now and tell me why?

 

[Butty]

Can't see why it's not rock pipit: chest/belly ground colour isn't white (compare with undertail-coverts, which does appear to show white), streaking looks right, supercilium not particularly bold.

 

[Laruslister]

Can't see why it's not rock pipit: chest/belly ground colour isn't white (compare with undertail-coverts, which does appear to show white), streaking looks right, supercilium not particularly bold.

Yes, I hadn't notice that difference in colour of teh underparts compared to undertail coverts thanks. I think now that although Water can be quite well streaked the streaks are thinner and more well-defined than on this bird which has quite thick and smudgy streaking . The blue-grey upperparts are summer littoralis as they lack any brown hues