Water Pipit
I managed to re-find my Water Pipit this week but it wasn't as cooperative this time. But I did manage to take an unusual wing-stretch shot that I thought was different enough to upload. Any photograph of a Water Pipit is a prize as they are scarce winter visitors to Britain, and they are notoriously skittish. Though this photograph might be better as a mystery bird photograph as it is unhelpfully concealing the diagnostic clinchers for its identification, namely its dark legs and unstreaked back. When I started birdwatching people didn't pay much attention to them because they were considered a race of Rock Pipit, but a taxonomic split in 1986 gave them full species status and people then started to take an interest. Water Pipits breed in the high alpine zone of mountains in southern Europe, descending to lower altitudes in winter. (A different subspecies breeds across the mountains of Asia). According to BTO about 200 spend the winter in Britain. They winter in freshwater wetland habitats in Britain, showing a preference for watercress beds. Ringing has shown that individual Water Pipits can return to the same wintering site for three, even four winters. Though ringing has also shown that they can move between winters, with one moving from Surrey to Hampshire.
Water Pipit
I managed to re-find my Water Pipit this week but it wasn't as cooperative this time. But I did manage to take an unusual wing-stretch shot that I thought was different enough to upload. Any photograph of a Water Pipit is a prize as they are scarce winter visitors to Britain, and they are notoriously skittish. Though this photograph might be better as a mystery bird photograph as it is unhelpfully concealing the diagnostic clinchers for its identification, namely its dark legs and unstreaked back. When I started birdwatching people didn't pay much attention to them because they were considered a race of Rock Pipit, but a taxonomic split in 1986 gave them full species status and people then started to take an interest. Water Pipits breed in the high alpine zone of mountains in southern Europe, descending to lower altitudes in winter. (A different subspecies breeds across the mountains of Asia). According to BTO about 200 spend the winter in Britain. They winter in freshwater wetland habitats in Britain, showing a preference for watercress beds. Ringing has shown that individual Water Pipits can return to the same wintering site for three, even four winters. Though ringing has also shown that they can move between winters, with one moving from Surrey to Hampshire.