Tree Pipit or Meadow Pipit

[Tangaroa]

I struggle to tell the difference between the 2 - and im sure someone on here will be able to tell me which one it is.........This photo was taken in Orford in Suffolk........

[Jenny W]

I think it's a Tree Pipit - streaking on the flanks looks very fine. What's the
bet this will turn into another debate though!

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by Jenny W

What's the
bet this will turn into another debate though!

I think that you will probably be right about this!

On the two photos posted I would tend to lean more towards Meadow Pipit.
The flank streaking doesn't appear to be very bold, but it's not all that different from the streaking on the breast, + the bird doesn't appear to have any of the yellow-buff colouring I'd expect to see on a Tree Pipit (although this could be because the photo seems a touch over exposed!). Also the beak tends to look a bit stouter on Tree Pipits - although I'll admit that it's dificult to judge properly from these shots.

Another one that would be far easier to ID if seen in real life! (Once you know what you're looking for that is - so no offense meant to Tangaroa!)

Roy.

[aeshna5]

Agree some of these birds (+ other taxa) are easier to do in the field, but I'll go with Meadow Pipit too!

[Jenny W]

Originally Posted by RoyW

The flank streaking doesn't appear to be very bold, but it's not all that different from the streaking on the breast, + the bird doesn't appear to have any of the yellow-buff colouring I'd expect to see on a Tree Pipit.

Roy.

The two things you have picked up on here I thought the opposite of - the flank streaking looked finer than the brest streaking to me and I thought it was really quite buff looking. Just goes to show peoples interpretations can be so different.

I have to say WAB does nothing whatsoever for my confidence - as someone who has been birding for almost 20 years - I always seem to be wrong.

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by Jenny W

The two things you have picked up on here I thought the opposite of - the flank streaking looked finer than the brest streaking to me and I thought it was really quite buff looking. Just goes to show peoples interpretations can be so different.

I have to say WAB does nothing whatsoever for my confidence - as someone who has been birding for almost 20 years - I always seem to be wrong.

I don't think you're wrong very often Jenny- I'm always impressed by your breadth of knowledge with insects + birds on here! And no matter how many years we've been at it, we all make the odd mistake sometimes!

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by Jenny W

The two things you have picked up on here I thought the opposite of - the flank streaking looked finer than the brest streaking to me and I thought it was really quite buff looking. Just goes to show peoples interpretations can be so different.

I have to say WAB does nothing whatsoever for my confidence - as someone who has been birding for almost 20 years - I always seem to be wrong.

There is actually some buff on the side of the breast, but Meadow Pipits can be quite buff sometimes + the flank streaking on a'classic' Tree Pipit is no more than thin black lines.



These two species can be variable though, so it's difficult to identify some, with certainty, from photographs - it could be that you are correct and we're wrong!
I'm in agreement with aeshna about you're great breadth of knowledge - when you post Id's as often as you do there's bound to be people who disagree sometimes!

Roy.

[Jenny W]

Cheers Aeshna and Roy. Sorry about the bad mood from earlier!!

[Tangaroa]

Originally Posted by RoyW

Another one that would be far easier to ID if seen in real life! (Once you know what you're looking for that is - so no offense meant to Tangaroa!)

Ha - no offence taken, I didnt even take the photo, my dad did. He has recently started taken photo's using digiscoping and is still learning the ropes - he asked me to ID it - i thought it was a tree pipit myself - but thought id ask you guys......i guess we will never know for sure