ID please

[dav56]

I found this picture when sorting out photos from my trip to Orkney in June. Could you please help ID it for me

[Adam Cheeseman]

skylark.

cheers

adam

[aeshna5]

The archetypal l.b.j- it's a Meadow Pipit.

[ChrisJB]

Yep, Mipit (Meadow Pipit).

Regards, Chris

[Perry Grin]

Hint of a crest suggests skylark.......

[Kev-B]

I have to agree with Adam .. Skylark ...

With that crest & obvious pale supercilium it can't be anything else .. the supercilium in Meadow Pipit is more diffuse & far less obvious ..

Bye for now ..

Kev ..

[ChrisJB]

I see the crest, but I'm putting that down to a good ol' breezy day! The spotting in the chest looks wrong for a 'Skizzy' to me, as does the line coming from the base of the beak and merging into the chest spots. As for the supercillium, I have found spring and early summer birds can have a more prominent one.
Either way, it's nice to have a picture of a bird with a frission of uncertainty about it. It's the first I remember for a while.

Regards, Chris

[Hedge Witch]

In my (humble) opinion, for what it's worth, it's a Meadow Pipit, I think.

[Kev-B]

Ahhh well ... whatever it turns out to be .. its still a lovely photo of a cracking little bird ...

Bye for now ..

Kev ..

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by ChrisJB

I see the crest, but I'm putting that down to a good ol' breezy day! The spotting in the chest looks wrong for a 'Skizzy' to me, as does the line coming from the base of the beak and merging into the chest spots. As for the supercillium, I have found spring and early summer birds can have a more prominent one.
Either way, it's nice to have a picture of a bird with a frission of uncertainty about it. It's the first I remember for a while.

Regards, Chris

Agree that the "crest" is probably due to feathers in wind- this was taken on Orkney! Agree it does show a fairly prominent supercilium, but breast spotting + other features still look better for M'Pipit to me.

[RobinP]

It's obviously a Skipit, the first recorded hybridisation between Skylark and Meadow Pipit.

Come to think of it, is it only ducks that produce hybrids? Maybe a subject for another thread.

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by RobinP

It's obviously a Skipit, the first recorded hybridisation between Skylark and Meadow Pipit.

Come to think of it, is it only ducks that produce hybrids? Maybe a subject for another thread.

Ducks + geese seem to be the most regular groups to hybridise in the wild, but does occur (rarely in) others.

One of the most famous hybrids was described as a new species in Australia in the 1950's- Cox's Sandpiper. Quite a few of these birds turned up, but molecular work later revealed that these birds were in fact hybrids between Pectoral + Curlew Sandpipers; most of the hybrids are male.

In captivity hybrids of falcons, pheasants + finches amongst others are common.

[Adam Cheeseman]

Originally Posted by Adam Cheeseman

skylark.

cheers

adam

Hangs head in shame (can we get one of those for a smiley) It is a Mipit now that I've had a proper look. Those damn Orkney breezes

Cheers,

Adam

[Perry Grin]

Okay.......... I give in. Mipit!

[dav56]

Thanks for all of your answers. As with the first few post's I couldn't decide if it was a Mipit or skylark. I only had this one photo of it, so I couldn't tell if it was the Orkney wind which caused all of the confusion with its crest. Its now filed as a Meadow pipit.

Dave