What kind of Pipit? (UK, London) (1 Viewer)

[JarJar]

Hello everybody,

what kind of Pipit could this be? In my opinion it is a Water Pipit - could Rock Pipit also be possible?

Seen in Great Britain, London, London Wetland-Centre, 04. march 2019

Thanks a lot,
Christoph

 

[aeshna5]

I would say Water Pipit which has been frequently reported there recently.

 

[Harrybongo]

Hello everybody,

what kind of Pipit could this be? In my opinion it is a Water Pipit - could Rock Pipit also be possible?

Seen in Great Britain, London, London Wetland-Centre, 04. march 2019

Thanks a lot,
Christoph

Hi. Rock and water, are quite difficult to distinguish sometimes, but this one's got a brown and not a grey, tinge to its back, so I'll go for Water.

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Someone's going to have to explain to me why it's not a Meadow Pipit.

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello,
thanks Andrew, Tom and Butty!
I was confident, this is a Water Pipit just by a quick look, but a closer one revealed:

• an extensive dark boarder to the lower ear-coverts. This is the most important feature imo favouring Meadow Pipit
• Legs could be ID friendlier paler and brighter. I see a darkish shine/overlay on my screen , but just within variation for a Meadow Pipit.
• same with the streaked back with just visible tram-lines. Just within variation for a Water Pipit. Or just out of variation??? = on the borderline for this I think. But surely better for a Meadow Pipit.
• At first I thought the rump is unstreaked clean, but this easily be explained by picture quality erasing details and wear. But please note, that the sides of the rump and the uppertail-coverts are regular the mostly/strongest streaked areas at the rump of a Meadow Pipit.

Still a hard bird for me, but yes, its a Meadow Pipit. Thanks one more!

 

[pianoman]

Thanks Andrew and Alexander, I thought I was going nuts for a moment myself - Meadow was my very first thought.

 

[Hotspur]

The bill is too robust, the streaking is too course and there are no obvious buff tones for Meadow Pipit, with the underparts looking cold. Looks spot on for Water Pipit IMO. Water always gives me a redwing vibe with the head and bill patterns, which this bird does.

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello Christoph,

any more pictures? Thanks!

 

[pianoman]

I'm seeing quite warm tones, a light bill with a touch of yellow, and elongated heavy flank streaks.

Funny, most literature concentrates on distinguishing WP from RP, rather than WP from MP. If this turns out to be Water Pipit, I'm going to have to look even harder at some of my local Mipits in suitable habitat!

 

[Steve Lister]

At first glance I thought Water Pipit but the pale mantle lines and lack of a really obvious supercilium raise doubts and I have to agree with those who have suggested Meadow Pipit. Some odd ones turn up in spring.

 

[Richard D]

Looking at the background in the photos the photos seem to be on the cooler side of white balance that I think is giving the bird more of a Water Pipit tone than it would have in life.

 

[JarJar]

Thanks a lot for so many answers and the great discussion! Unfortunately I have no more pictures...