I was down near Adaminaby in then?Snowy Mountains and photographed 2 birds which I am having trouble Iding. I apologise for the photos but I have had to do a very big crop.
The first 2 photos are the same type of bird and the last 3 photos is the same type of bird. I was wondering if the bird in photos 3,4 & 5 were of a Little grassbird.
Regards
Donna
The second one is the speckled warbler.
Hi,
The 2nd bird looks like an australian pipit not a speckled warbler as warblers have thicker marking and unfortunately I cannot tell from the photos what the 1st bird is.
Maybe Australian Reed Warbler for the first bird (photos 1 and 2), and I agree that the second one is Australasian Pipit.
Now I am wondering if I have been seeing pipits at my place. I was assuming birds with the speckled front and heavy eyebrow were warblers. I will have to look closer next time. I know I do get speckled warblers.
Thank you everyone for your replies.
Donna
Man o man, no. 1 is a real test. I'm thrown. I was thinking quail, but that doesn't feel right. I was thinking bushlark, but that doesn't feel right. Mmmm. Dunno. No 2 is a skylark I reckon (it's darker than the pipit). So, is no. 1 also a skylark? Are you sure the birds in shot 1 and shot 2 are the same? They don't look it. That creamy white edge to the primaries in no 1 is concerning me! The rest are of an A. Pipit. On another note, although Speckled Warblers are seen sometimes in the Snowies, they wouldn't be out in that rural habitat - they mostly stick to ravines and hillsides in dry open woodland. LJ
Hi Lorne, thank you so much for the effort you have put into trying to work out these photos. To be honest I am not 100% sure 1 & 2 are the same birds as they were flying together and I just assumed ( yes I know, never assume) that they were the same birds.
Thank you again. It is wonderful to be part of a community where people like to help others out. These are all lifers for me.
regards
Donna
Hey Donna. No need to thank me, I love the challenge. I wish I could help you with bird no. 1. You don't have any other photos of the bird do you? The striking, distinct wing pattern should make ID dead easy, yet, I'm really struggling. I'd be interested to know what others think. Pipits and skylarks are easy to ID because of white stripes on edges of their tails, the constant wagging of their tails and runs, in spurts. The skylark has a crest of sorts. Bird no 2 seems darker that the pipits, thus making me think skylark. However, there's a chance bird no. 2 is a pipit and the light is confusing me. You need to go back to Adaminaby to investigate further. Maybe, bird no 1 is a new species for Australia! Lorne
Donna, I know what no 1 is! Rufous Songlark! I found a shot of one in flight on google images and voila. They have terrific, rollicking, somehow metallic calls and are moderately common in rural areas. Ah, glad that's sorted. LJ
I think no 2 is a Skylark, it looks like it has a crest like skylarks have.
Great thank you Lorne and everyone else.
Regards
Donna