Rock Pipit or Water Pipit

I photographed these birds on the River Blackwater at Bradwell-on-Sea in Essex last week. Google Lens suggests they are Rock Pipits with a second choice of Water Pipits. There is no rocky coast line anywhere near here and Water Pipits are known to visit East Anglia in the winter. These pictures are quite heavily cropped as the birds were some way away, hopefully they are not Meadow Pipits, Google Lens doesn't think so anyway.

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Thanks in advance for any help with I.D.

Trevor

  • To my mind the first three birds are to heavily streaked on the front fot Water Pipit and seem to lack any eye stripe. The last of the group may well be a Water Pipit. Not 100% convinced of the Titchwell bird despite what the RSPB on site said
  • Hi

    I'm happy all the original photos are Rock pipits- lots of olive tones - even extending onto the flanks.

    The Titchwell individual looks more olive than grey brown to me and the breast streaks aren't particularly well defined- though that could be the focus on the photo- 

    the bill base is nice though ....


    I'd still go with Rock Pipit on that too without more photos.

    S