ML60462451

Age and sex

Adult Male - X

Observation details

Same size and superficially similar to American Pipit. Lacked the dense necklace I might expect for American. Brick red coloration on head and throat with some reddish tint extending into belly, which in combination with streaking in flanks and breast should be enough to rule out AMPI. I was initially reluctant to make the call because the ssp of AMPI I am familiar with (articola) has rich rufous underparts. The ssp in AK (rubescens) having a dense necklace and some rufous-buff in face and underparts. However, neither ssp is likely to have this much streaking and this much rufous coloration. japonicus ssp of AMPI does not typically show any strong rufous coloration in the face or breast. Straw colored lower mandible visible in head-on photo. American Pipit should have a mostly black bill. Appeared to have faint pale wing bars, though not out of the spectrum for Red-throated. Whitish undertail coverts, underside of the retrices dark. Dusky crown and auriculars. Call note was a hard metallic "tseeee" slightly descending towards end. Heard calling twice. Song was noticeably different than what I have heard from American before. Certainly unexpected. Seen along the road after it flew in front of me. I did not notice the white patterning in the tail that I am used to for American. It was seen past (east) the Gas Plant just before the red square building (north side of the road). Bird was then observed at close range on the south side of the road on the ground and then seen in flight and heard giving flight calls and a song (at which point I was able to get my camera on it).

Technical information

Model

Canon EOS 20D

ISO

200

Focal length

400 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire, auto

f-stop

f/5.6

Shutter speed

1/4000 sec

Dimensions

585 pixels x 390 pixels

Original file size

42.17 KB