Scandinavian Rock Pipits at QMR

Tue, 12 March 2013

If you're after seeing interesting pipits the Queen Mother Resevoir has been a happy hunting ground over the past few months with Rock, Water and most famously two Buff-bellied Pipits on offer.

Over the past few days two more interesting Pipits were found - both Rock Pipits of the Scandinavian sub-species A.p. littoralis. This is a relatively scare sub-species to find locally as these are birds which over-winter in the UK then attain disctinctive plumage characters in spring before migrating back to southern Scandinavia to breed. I'd read from comments on Berksbirds that one of the littoralis was more well marked that the other so I was hoping to photograph both when I visited at lunchtime today.

Fortunately I had good gen from Mike McKee that the birds were (a) still present and (b) were feeding in front of the sailing club so I wouldn't have far to walk and would have the sun behind me. Given the recent arctic blast across the UK I knew it would be chilly and wrapped-up accordingly but using fingerless mitts for photography meant my finger-tips were numb within minutes! 

The first bird I saw was the obvious littoralis which feeding on the shoreline and although it wasn't particularly approachable I was able to obtain a selection of shots clearly showing the bluish tinge to the head, creamy-white supercillium and creamy-buff breast.

At this point I'd not seen any sign of the second bird so I wandered back to the car whereupon I discovered it feeding along the shoreline right below where my car was parked to the south of the sailing club. It initially appeared a much darker bird like that of the nominate race.

I concentrated on getting a few images and was pleased to get one that showed the outer tail feathers which would hold the key to it's race ... and they were white!

Rock Pipits of the nominate race have buff outer tail feathers which is clearly not the case with this bird and in the sun the overall colouration of the bird offers a tinge akin to the first bird that the shaded photo above doesn't. All very educational!