Please do skylarks in the winter lose their tuft? Have seen some larks today in a pasture along side fieldfare and mistle thrush and redwings, but I cannot decide what sort of larks these were. They did not appear to have the supercilia joining at therear of the head. As to the white sides to the tail? I could not determine that. Not very helpful - sorry
-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
UK skylarks (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter socksitis
- Start date
Fast_falkon
Dutch birder
they can lay it down on their head.
bitterntwisted
Graham Howard Shortt
Crest is often flattened to the extent that it is hard to discern at any distance. If there were several, then any lark other than Skylark or possibly Woodlark is pretty much ruled out. All other similar lark species are vagrants which would occur singly, and all are at least very scarce if not downright rare.
So you were most probably watching Skylarks, as although you are in the right part of the world for a few wintering Woodlarks, these are still much less common. This is a good ID piece: http://www.birdwatch.co.uk/website/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33&Itemid=102
I guess the other confusion species are Meadow Pipit and the much rarer Lapland Bunting and Richard's Pipit, which you probably don't need to worry too much about.
Graham
So you were most probably watching Skylarks, as although you are in the right part of the world for a few wintering Woodlarks, these are still much less common. This is a good ID piece: http://www.birdwatch.co.uk/website/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33&Itemid=102
I guess the other confusion species are Meadow Pipit and the much rarer Lapland Bunting and Richard's Pipit, which you probably don't need to worry too much about.
Graham
KnockerNorton
Well-known member
I think we can rule out Woodlark, Bitterntwisted, alongside redwing/fieldfare in Devon in January. The other could be ruled out from the flight action - skylark is always fluttery, and with an onvious white trailing edge to the wing as it flutters off.
gareth_blockley
Smile people
Why??
It is known that some of our Woodlards are resident in southern counties and i have seen reports for this year in both Devon and Worcestershire. I have also seen lots of Redwing and Fieldfare feeding in stubble fields.
I'm not saying these birds were woodlarks but how could you rule them out so easily?
Gareth
Original PaulE
Well-known member
i saw a small flock of woodlarks in rendlesham forest a couple of weeks ago they were really distinctive with the stripe joining at the rear of the head very obvious
so i would assume your birds to be skylarks or meadow pipits
so i would assume your birds to be skylarks or meadow pipits
He wont be back! and you are quite right, it was a fairly sweeping assumption.
KnockerNorton
Well-known member
huh?
Ok, sweeping generalised assumption, but balance of probabilities from the description is so heavily towards Skylark.
