Water pipits pop in for a winter visit
Two pipit species, water and rock, are being seen in the region with at least 10 water pipits viewable at times from one hide, the Singleton, at the RSPB's Blacktoft Sands reserve.
Both species are larger and with sturdier bills than meadow pipits but at this time of year in winter plumage closely resemble each other.
Indeed, at one time they were regarded as the same species.
But they inhabit totally different breeding habitats, the water pipit spending the summer at high altitudes next to rushing mountain streams, the rock pipit staying close to rock strewn coasts such as Filey Brigg.
There are other ways to tell them apart although it is not always an easy task.
Water pipets have distinctly white outer tail feathers while the rock pipits are greyer.
But in summer the water pipit undergoes a transformation with its white breast developing a pink flush while it also sports a grey head and white supercilium.
Some will stay close to their mountain homes throughout the year but others are forced by ice and snow to move to lowlandmarshes and flooded pastures for the winter.
A few, about 100 each winter, cross the Channel to be seen, usually in ones and twos, around sewage works and watercress beds as well as marshes.
Sometimes they will gather at a well-protected site in a communal roost and this seems to be what has happened at Blacktoft Sands.
A few rock pipits will venture inland in winter but the majority stay on the coast and retain the dark buff grey plumage of summer.
But rock pipits from the races found in Norway, Sweden and Russia move a short distance south to warmer areas in winter and some join the rock pipits already on our coasts.
In winter, they cannot be told apart but in early spring they start to develop a pinkish flush to the breast like the water pipit which enables them to be identified.
A first winter red-necked phalarope was first seen at the Far Ings reserve on the Humber late last week and continued to be seen over the weekend. Two bitterns were also seen on the reserve and there have also been excellent views of bearded titscoming out onpaths to feed.
More Cetti's warblers have been reported – two on Teesside at Dorman's Pool and Bowesfield Marsh and one again at Pugney's Country Park near Wakefield, a drake red-crested pochard was also seen there. Two singing Cetti's continue to be heard at the Potteric Carr reserve, Doncaster.
A female long-tailed duck was at Reclamation Pond, Teeside.
Two great northern divers and two velvet scoters were seen off Filey, Snow bunting flocks are starting to build up with 60 on Redcar golf course and 25 at Log Nab north of Scarborough. Two snow buntings were seen inland at Swales Moor, Pule Hill, Halifax, in the same area where a shore lark was seen during the winter of 2006-07.
A black redstart was seen at Oxenhope, near Keighley.
The relatively warm weather means some summer visitors are lingering, a house martin and a swallow were seen over Atwick village, East Yorkshire on the same day last week.
tealebill48@yahoo.co.uk
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Sunday 12 February 2012
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