Friday, 4 March 2011

Pipits and regimes

On 17th February, the very same day as the old regime lost control of Benghazi, Pim Wolf commented on a previous blog about a meadow pipit seen by some birding friends at Wadi Kaam near Tripoli. Pim thought the pipit might be a bluff bellied pipit rather than a meadow pipit.


Unfortunately the regime cut mt internet connection before I posted some extra pictures of the pipit.


Although I have been evacuated from Libya, I am honour bound to post that blog. A delusional leader will not stop me from posting what was an ordinary day to day blog!




pipit meadow or bluff bellied?

Pim said "In your last post there is a picture of a Meadow Pipit that looks a bit "off" It could just be me but the streaking on the flanks, the shape and blackness of the breast spots and malar region as well as the semi-plain back and pale lores all remind me of Siberian Buff-bellied Pipit (japonicus). Worth a second look I think"

meadow pipit or buff bellied?

What do you think? I have no experience of bluff bellied pipit but I looked at Collins and can see Pim's point.


another picture of the pipit

Please reply to me or post comments. I would love it to be buff bellied but not as much as I want to see a united free Libya that cares for its people and the environment.

3 comments:

  1. Hello Robert,

    good to see that you are "out", hope that you will be able to return soon. Judging only on what is see on television/radio/web things do not look good, to put it mildly. Lets hope that some reason remains and that the whole mess does not take an even larger toll on the Libyan people.

    I'll try to look into the Buff-bellied over the next few days.

    hartelijke groet, pim wolf

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  2. Glad to see you sitting on the fence as usual! Very much looking forward to seeing some photos of birds in Bulgaria

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  3. Nick, Good to hear from you! I have actually toned this article down.

    Lots of photos will be from Namibia and Botswana where I am taking a holiday very soon.

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