American Buff-bellied Pipit

This little fella has been causing quite a stir for the last couple of weeks so we went along to see him last weekend. Only been spotted on the UK mainland a handful of times and probably the easiest 'rare twitch' we will ever go on!

Full write up on the blog here with a full gallery page dedicated to this one special bird here.

A couple of favourites:-

[IMG]http://www.dannyewers.com/Photos/960x600/Birds/Pipits/American_Buff-bellied_Pipit/American_Buff-bellied_Pipit_7.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://www.dannyewers.com/Photos/960x600/Birds/Pipits/American_Buff-bellied_Pipit/American_Buff-bellied_Pipit_9.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://www.dannyewers.com/Photos/960x600/Birds/Pipits/American_Buff-bellied_Pipit/American_Buff-bellied_Pipit_11.jpg[/IMG]

Thanks for sharing these cracking shots with us, lovely to see.

Great set, love #2.

Where were these taken Danny? I was in Robin Hood's Bay (North Yorkshire) a few weeks ago and took several shots of a bird that looked very much like this one on the rocks / beach. I hadn't a clue what it was, is there any chance it could be the same species?

Regards
David

Great to see these . Terrific sharp shots.

Great shots - I am glad you know waht it is as I would not have had a clue

Thanks all!

These were near Slough Dave and with so few sightings of these on the UK mainland (something that small doesn't normally cross the atlantic!), it would be unlikely but you never know! Apparently they look very similar to a meadow pipit which we have over here, with the main difference being this fella has black legs. Did you get a decent shot of it?

Didn't have a clue either Stuey, just shot the same bird everyone else did!

I don't know much about birds tbh, but after many visits to the local RSPB with a grand total of ZERO shots of note I'm very impressed with these.

Merry Christmas

Great shots Danny. These rarities are often photogenic cf the Desert Wheatear we had in Essex earlier in the year.

David- your bird was most likely a Rock Pipit.
Dave

Thanks Lee & Dave!

Quick update: Yesterday it was discovered that there were now 2 of these guys at the QMR!

QMR is in my old stomping ground. Never saw anything exciting there in my day though as it was closed to the public. A friend of mine has it in her back garden. Not an inspiring view .

Lovely photos as always Danny.

Thanks Gwyn!

Had never been there before and not realised just how big it is, at least a 3 mile walk al the way round. It still is closed to the public but the local bird club has an arrangement where they can buy passes to go birding there.

When this guy turned up, with the volume of people wanting to have a look they very quickly organised with the QMR to sell day passes to the hoardes of twitchers and photographers at £2 each, with volunteers getting there before dawn and manning the gate, organising parking etc.

Very well done, very well organised and I have to thank them very much and doff my cap to them. Not only that I believe they have raised well in excess of £2,000 for club funds!

Nice shots. Went there to 'twitch' the bird but without a camera. Mind you Danny you should confess just how close the bird was. 8 feet away!

When you say birds this small don't usually cross the Atlantic would it be possible that it/they hitched a ride on a ship? When we left Lisbon on the cruise ship in November there was approx 5/6 small birds aboard with us which had roosted overnight and stayed with the ship all the way to Southampton. They picked up crumbs and drank from water on the deck or the pool. Then people started feeding them. (Stowaways)
I'm not a twitcher, it's just a thought.
CHEERS Vic.

8 feet? We were as close as 3 feet at one point, could have easily shot him with the fish-eye!

You could be spot on there Vic, would definately make sense but the general theory is that the timing did coincide with a recent large storm. Theory is helped by them being seen in the Shetlands a few times over the years.

PS if I hear about the owls back at Maidwell, I'll let you know!