SEPTEMBER 2010'S MYSTERY BIRD ANSWERS

Another well received round saw the second highest number of entries this year with 30 pitting their wits against our two mystery birds. I really am very much obliged for the enthusiasm of all those who gave it a go, long may it continue...

Mystery Bird 17

It had become apparent to me of late that the duo of Meadow and Tree Pipit are considerably more often confused that we might at first appreciate. Not just at our county level either but nationally, it seems we underestimate the deceptive little Meadow Pipit and often are clearly unsure as to which features of Tree Pipit are robust enough to enable consistent identification use. So, onto our mystery bird which is clearly one of the small pipits. Three were offered as answers and all but one entrant went for either Tree or Meadow Pipit. The other answer was for Red-throated Pipit but that species has conspicuously contrasting bold white mantle stripes, boldly black streaked underparts and a fairly well streaked rump. All are at odds with out mystery anthus as so Red-throated it is not. As for the other two species, structure is always a good starting point as it generally affords the least variable feature. Here, I feel we begin to strengthen our case for one against the other, though in this instance one of the two useable structural features is clearly misleading. Purposefully, you may ask? Why, of course, it would be rude for me not to have utilised such an informative individual (and hard won image) now wouldn't it ☺. The hindclaws of the two species usually vary considerably and can be a very useful separating feature, with Meadow having long, flattish, dark hindclaws and Tree short, well-arched and pink ones. Unfortunately though, it's one rule for one and one for the other, if you see what I mean? Tree Pipit always has short, well-arched and pink hindclaws but conversely Meadow doesn't necessarily always have long, flattish, dark hindclaws. So the short, pinkish hindclaws of our mystery bird are not necessarily conclusive of Tree Pipit in this instance. Clearly we need further identification features to clarify the issue but before we do, are those hindclaws really all that well-arched anyway? The bill, seen well enough at the necessary angle and light should afford us more clarity and looking at this individuals it is patently very slim and rather weak looking. It's really beginning to not look good for a Tree Pipit even at this early stage. The face of the bird looks very bland to me, lacking in any significant features save for a particularly obvious full pale eyering which gives rise to a distinctly gentle and even perhaps surprised expression. It's beginning to look worse and worse for Tree Pipit now I'm afraid and we can be entirely confident at this point that the bird is indeed a Meadow Pipit. Although the flank streaking looks very fine this doesn't necessarily eliminate Meadow Pipit in any respect and there is often much overlap in this feature.

Whether it was easy, whether you know you're pipits or whether some actually read my recent identification article on the pair is irrelevant, an excellent 80% of entrants got this one spot on. Let there be no more mis-identifications ☺.

Meadow Pipit, Wildersmoor, August 2010 (Ian McKerchar)

Mystery Bird 18

A wader, yes it's a wader! Unfortunately it's yet another view of the back of a wader but is it identifiable from this view? Well, lets look at what we can see on this bird. Personally, I feel the bird is actually quite a long-legged species. The tibia is quite long indeed, the neck seems longish and the head appears really quite small compared to the body, even accounting for any potentially misleading photographic effects. To my eyes it looks particularly bland on the upperparts and wing. Sure, each feather is broadly edged pale giving rise to a very scalloped look and there is something of a single conspicuous mantle-stripe on each side but there is no real contrasting colour edges to those feathers. The upper scapulars are mildly warmer in tone that the lowers perhaps but the overall effect is of uniformity throughout. The legs look dark but with greenish-yellow 'knees' but that could also perhaps indicate greenish-yellow legs simply caked in that dirty dark coloured mud!

Seven species were considered to meet our mystery bird and they were Pectoral Sandpiper, Little Stint. Curlew Sandpiper, Ruff, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit and Long-billed Dowitcher. So lets attempt to make our own 'budget cuts' to those species based on the short description above. Little Stint (with two entries) goes first, initially due to it's patently too small size for our considerable mystery bird, plus of course juveniles are considerably more contrasting on the upperparts. Long-billed Dowitcher (one entry) goes too as it lacks mantle-stripes and in juvenile plumage has pale notched and not edged scapulars. Curlew Sandpiper (another with two entries) falls by the sword next due to it's juvenile plumaged pale centred scapulars and wing coverts (not uniformly dark as our mystery bird's) complete with dark subterminal edges. Black-tailed Godwit (a single entry) falls by the wayside too thanks to it's brighter fringed scapulars and wing coverts in juvenile plumage with their noticeably paler feather bases and slightly patterned inner greater coverts. This leaves us with three;  Pectoral Sandpiper, Ruff and Dunlin. I still feel the bird is too 'leggy' for a Dunlin (three votes) and their white lower scapular edges and mantle-stripes don't fit with the uniformity of all feather edges in our mystery bird. The same is unfortunately true for Pectoral Sandpiper (with seven entries) which is typically brighter edged on the upper scapulars and white edged on the lowers as in Dunlin. This process leaves us with out correct answer, which fourteen entrants worked out for themselves or perhaps just plain guessed! Well done either way, it was a Ruff afterall.

Ruff, Hope Carr NR, August 2010 (Ian McKerchar)

One again, many entrants gave some great insight into their thought process when assessing the mystery birds but only twelve entrants managed to correctly identify both of them. So share the limelight Dean MacDonald (after a break of six months!), James Latham (continuing to pull away from Latham senior), Mike Cooper, Geoff Hargreaves, Mark Rigby, Tim Wilcox, Mike Howard, Nick Green, Paul Brown, John Frankland, Dave Broome and Helen Garwood (who perseverance knows no bounds and is admirably rewarded with her first clear round of this year, well done!).

The top of leader board continues to remain firmly in the hands of Paul Brown as he manages in his ninth successive clear round this year and is yet to drop a point. Behind him though the battle for second continues, with Neil Calbrade and John Tymon both dropping a point in this round and so still tie for second spot with only three rounds to go. Behind them, James Latham caught up slightly this month and now lies only one point behind both of them.

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