Tree Pipit & Mipit? N.Yorks, England (1 Viewer)

[Gaz Shilton]

Tree Pipit & Mipit? Cleveland, England

Grabbed a few shots today at Scaling Dam Reservoir.
I think the first 3 are Tree Pipit and the second 2 are Mipits.
Could someone confirm this for me please?

 

[joe cockram]

I reckon you're right there Gaz

Joe

 

[rockfowl]

Sorry Gaz,

All Meadow Pipits I'm afraid. Look at the flank streaks, they're pretty much the strength and width of the breast streaking, on Tree the streaks would be much thinner and weaker. Also look at the huge hindclaw, Trees are relatively short and more curved

Mark

 

[dave123]

mipits for me too

 

[paulwfromtheden]

mipits for me too

and me, the flanks are the best clue...

 

[ausmar]

Probably you are right but could the first 3 be red-throated pipits??? from my colins they don't seem to occur in the uk tho.

 

[bitterntwisted]

Probably you are right but could the first 3 be red-throated pipits??? from my colins they don't seem to occur in the uk tho.

Rare vagrants to the UK, and first three pics show what can only be a meadow pipit with a stonking hindclaw like that.

Graham

 

[ausmar]

You're right. i took a better look at the back and it is surely not a red throated!

 

[deborah4]

Probably you are right but could the first 3 be red-throated pipits??? from my colins they don't seem to occur in the uk tho.

They do as a rare vagrant ausmar .... I've never seen RTPs, but can see what you mean! ... definitely not Tree. It's not very unusual for MP's to show quite pinky throats/breasts - the bills look broad based which is good for MP (and don't show any yellow) and hindclaw very long. The 'splodge' in centre of breast is pretty archetypal for MP too btw.

I'd certainly look twice at these but they are MPs!

 

[Quercus]

Have tree pipits arrived back yet?

 

[deborah4]

Have tree pipits arrived back yet?

Yes, but these aren't Tree Pipits

 

[Gaz Shilton]

Thank you.
Seemed to look like T Pipits in Collins. Must be the time of year for that plumage.

 

[deborah4]

One pretty good indicator, Gaz, is thickness of flank streaks (comparatively the same as on breast in MP, finer in Tree. Also, generally not very visible in field, but MP has very long hind claw which shows nicely in your pic. Tree tend to have a yellowy buffy ground colour to breast usually quite delineated with very white underbelly. (Slight differences in structure and facial pattern too).

 

[Howard King]

Have tree pipits arrived back yet?

most meadow pipits have already gone from here - yesterday we ringed our first Tree Pipit of the season

Willow Warblers are in short supply - have seen only a few this year normally they are dropping out of the trees

 

[pianoman]

stonking hindclaw

Just as a matter of interest, does anyone know what purpose the big hindclaw serves in pipits and larks?

Seems to be something to do with ground-dwelling

 

[deborah4]

Just as a matter of interest, does anyone know what purpose the big hindclaw serves in pipits and larks?

Seems to be something to do with ground-dwelling

Rather the fact they are running birds - It helps them to keep balance whilst running through grass stems etc.

Re habitat: This time of year and certainly in SE England, habitat of Tree and Meadow overlap/or can be identical. As far as I'm aware, Tree pipits don't actually dwell or even feed in trees, they just need them for song perches (during breeding season), so provided there's at least one or two tall trees in area ... I suspect the reason Tree has a short claw (cf to MP), is to assist in this type of breeding behaviour but don't know for sure.