Could Anyone ID This Small Bird Please ?

[SuzieandFlo]

This afternoon, my Sister, Brother-in-law, Niece and I went for a walk on Fala Moor, Midlothian (S.E.Scotland) to look out for Pink Footed Geese.
We saw a number of P.F.geese and also a number of small birds flying up out of the heather. The small birds were a bit too quick in flight for us to get decent pictures. They rose up quickly and darted about like mini skylarks before dropping back down into the heather. They were very well hidden once back on the ground and almost impossible to see.
To our delight, one of these birds perched on a clump of heather just 12 feet away from us, and stayed there while we took pictures of it. We were amazed at it just sitting there and we tried to stay as still as possible so we didn't startle it and make it fly off.
Here are a few pictures. There is a prominent clump of heather about the centre of the pictures. The bird is on that clump, near the centre.
We think it could be a Meadow Pipit but could anyone confirm or correct our ID please ? Thanks
















The photos have not been cropped or edited in any way as I wanted to show the habitat as well as the bird. All pictures are of the same bird.

[accipter]

Nice meadow not sure about the pipit it looks like one.

[Jonners]

Sounds and looks like a Meadow Pipit.

[SuzieandFlo]

Thanks accipter . It's the first time I've been to that site but will definitely go back as the views are absolutely stunning . I'd highly recommend a visit to anyone visiting the area.
The bird's call was a 3 syllable "tseep tseep tseep" and a 2 syllable "tchee tchee" if that helps any.

[SuzieandFlo]

Thanks Jonners .
Habitat is heather covered , open moorland with a very large area of blanket bog (and a small loch full of Pink Footed Geese ).

[RoyW]

I've only looked at the first photo, but it's definitely a pipit, and the habitat and call description make it unlikely to be anything except a Meadow Pipit.

[SuzieandFlo]

Thanks very much RoyW .
We discussed the bird on our walk back to the car, on the (3 mile) drive back to my house and while waiting for our chinese takeaway. We consulted our books and decided on Meadow Pipit based on the habitat, call, lack of trees or other prominent song posts and the bird's movements in flight and in the vegetation. It's a first sighting for all of us so thankyou again everyone .
(It's my first year birdwatching).

[accipter]

Its nice to hear you have taken up bird watching well done' always take the camera if you can its so much more fun if you can get a pic and it helps with identification.

[diggleken]

Originally Posted by SuzieandFlo

Thanks very much RoyW .
We discussed the bird on our walk back to the car, on the (3 mile) drive back to my house and while waiting for our chinese takeaway. We consulted our books and decided on Meadow Pipit based on the habitat, call, lack of trees or other prominent song posts and the bird's movements in flight and in the vegetation. It's a first sighting for all of us so thankyou again everyone .
(It's my first year birdwatching).

Hi suzieandflo, Well done on observation - the details you have given are the sort of thing you need to identify a bird(and all sorts of other wildlife for that matter!).
Birders often refer to this sort of overall 'impression' of a bird as its 'jizz', its something that comes about with experience and good field observation.
You can take photo's, but memory allied with field notes is better at this stage, you will learn more about birds by their observation than by concentrating on a photo, although that does have its place of course.
Good luck with it all, its well worth it and great fun.
Cheers
Ken

[accipter]

depends how good the memory is mine not so good now as it once was.