Sunday 12 January 2014

Burton Marsh - Buff-bellied Pipit

Another session in the freezing wind at Burton Marsh but this time totally worth it..... The Buff-bellied Pipit was back showing really well on the tide wrack at the end of Station Road. It was occasionally mobile but sticking with a small flock of Meadow Pipits but easy to find..... It certainly stood out from the crowd - the only problem being the various humps and hollows!

Here it comes - giving views of all angles.....                                                                                                                                


Occasionally flashing a super!





After a brief preen....




There's food in the debris like this tiny snail?


Some full frontal work....






I got a good number of images of the Queen Mother res BBP in December 2012 - linked here.... The legs on that bird were much darker (as you might normally expect) and it didn't seem to have as much 'whiteness' in the wing bars. Presumably this is all part of variability within 'rubescens' but the legs of this bird with their reddish tones were so striking,  it certainly made you wonder 'japonicus' ...... The buff tone to the underparts seems consistent with a North American bird however!

Oh and these was a cracking Siberian Chiffchaff showing well too.......