Brad (and Jan) are still out wining and dining our editor staff at the Denver facility – tells you how important they are to us I.T. professionals. I can hold my own in the coding world, but my knuckles still have not recovered from the damaged inflicted during my first class in deconstructing a sentence under the iron rule of nuns wielding heavy wooden rulers (WHACK). They eventually wore me down and got the basics past my defenses and honestly, these past 17+ year here at Intrigued has helped, but I still prefer talking bits and bytes. In Brad’s absence, you are stuck with me again for today’s featured feathered friend.
I know, I know, a bit of a letdown from the more colorful specimens featured in my previous posts. We still need to give the species that overslept the day when Mother Nature was waving her paint brush.
Hit the jump to read more about this species that could easily be mistaken for a member of the Sparrow family.
There are two members of the Wagtails and Pipit family that can be found regionally in North America. Both of them fall in the Pipit category – one called the Sprague’s and you are looking at the other one, the American Pipit.
This Pipit has also been in my nemesis column for many years. I have hunted for these rather drab ground birds up and down the southern coasts and grasslands to absolute frustration. My only encounter up to this point was an accidental sighting that was not found until I was reviewing captures in the digital darkroom back in 2018 (link here). As noted in that post, I am not even sure where those shots were taken, which is a perfect example of one of our Intrigued Golden Rules – If it moves, shoot it (if it moves again, shoot it again). And so it was again back in December of 2022 – New Year’s Eve to be exact. I was in complete desperation sitting at 297 for my Average Year tally and looking for any means possible to push me over the 300 goal threshold (link here).
We were staying at a KOA on the east side of Austin, TX. Linda was busy pouring over the eBird sightings in the area and found a place just up the road called Walter E. Long Lake that had a sighting for the American Pipit. There was a $10 entry fee, but at this point my IpS (investment per species) calculations were secondary to breaking 300, but I wasn’t optimistic based on my previous attempts – nuns did teach me that IpS calcs error out when you divide by ZERO. Grabbed The Beast, paid the fee and took to the hunt.
For some reason I was still under the impression I was looking for a Robin sized bird rummaging through the open grass even though I had already debunked that relationship in the first encounter. Okay, so maybe I can be a stubborn learner (put that ruler down!). Pipits are roughly half the size of Robins – for reference, Robins fall in the 8-11 inch range with a 12 to 16 inch wingspan where the Pipit comes in the 5.5 to 7 inch range sporting only a 10.5 or so wingspan. They are ground foragers so I was looking in the right area, I just couldn’t find them! Frustrations were growing and we were burning through daylight. See movement, fight like crazy to get a clear shot through the grass and leaves, check the LCD – another damn Sparrow – AAAARRGGGH!!
Was about ready to call it when the Merlin app announced a hit. Optimistically increased the scrutiny around me – more Sparrows. Then Linda gets a hit on her phone – bounce over there, more Sparrows. This cycles like 6 more times until we eventually triangulate to a small flock of Chipping Sparrows tossing leaves near a tree. One by one I pick off each specimen until I notice one without a rufous cap and has a thinner two-toned bill. Confirmed the streaking on the buff colored breast and white eye-ring, ding, ding, ding, we have a winner! Probably there all along, hiding in plain sight. With the visual clear in my head now, Linda and I came back the next day and made the American Pipit the first tin of the 2023 Average Year (link here). Here’s the funny thing, I’ve taken the American Pipit off my nemesis list as I can’t stop seeing it now. Feels like it is everywhere we bird now in the south, that previous scotoma has been removed.
How about a little more background on this species before I get to some brags..oh, did I mention there are brags coming, ah, sorry, there are brags coming hehehe. The name American Pipit is a tad over-possessive as it is also found in Asia. Over there they call it the Buff-Bellied Pipit. I was not able to find a good explanation for the American namesake, however, I did learn that it was once lumped in with the Water Pipits for our European readers. From a US perspective, they can be found in the southern border states during their non-breeding season before they head up to the higher elevations and tundras/alpine slopes in Asia and upper North America.
The Pipit portion of their name comes from their “Pi Pit” sounding calls more frequently heard in flight. These in-flight calls is probably most of what the Merlin app was picking up during our hunt. They are walkers as opposed to hoppers and have a habit of flicking/bobbing their tails while flashing their outer white feathers. As Sam alluded to in her post Cullinan Resurgence (link here), this flashing is likely a means to rustle up some dinner.
Pipits possess an interesting characteristic referred to as a Hallux. This is a long hind toe with a sharp talon on it. You can get a fairly good look at it in the second thru fourth images above. It is theorized that this feature allows them to maintain balance on unstable ground like the alpine slopes. Hmmm, thinking this might be a new addition to the Intrigued trail shoes line to go along with the Turnstone line mentioned in my last post! Lastly, one really good place to find Pipits is in the fields at large sports complexes. Again, likely to be heard long before they are seen.
Okay, let’s close this post out with some quick brags. Ruger has been tearing up the performance circuit as of late. Seems like the “puppy fog” has cleared and everything is starting to click. He has always had the energy, it was just …hmmm.. let’s go with more tsunami and less focused. Linda has been really training hard with him in the agility ring and you could see the difference in the recent competitions. Here he is with his new Novice Jumpers title and his legs in the other events.
That would be his “Yeah, I rock look”. Where we do take off the speed demon throttle is the FastCat competition, which is why we were up at Chain O’ Lake last weekend. Basically a 100 yard dash for dogs. Although it was a hot one, he posted an 18.94mph and an 18.77mph which at the time puts him in the 11th spot for all total Poodles (we are awaiting the latest official standings). This is what an exhausted speed demon Ruger looks like!
Just chilling and cooling down the feet ha.
Will leave it there for today’s post. Time to get some heat conditioning in on the trails and then get back to work on the Halloween props. Note, I am beginning to wonder if my Halloween addiction is simply a byproduct resulting from constant nightmares of angry NUNS WITH RULERS. Take care, pleasant dreams.
Wildlife Intrigued 
Very nice Pipit Brian. Now I have to review about 10,000 photos of various sparrows to see if some were Pipits instead. Congrats to Ruger for speeding into 11th position. Much faster than trail running, but less roots.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Brad! If this is a new bird for you, definitely check out your LBJ folder and see if there is anything with a Robin-like bill, you may already have the Pipit in the tin!
LikeLiked by 1 person
And now that this quest is over?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, trust me, there are PLENTY more quests in the list. I’m currently hunting a better sighting of a Barn Owl and don’t get me started with those !#@%$!W#$%!# Puffins that have escaped my glass more than once. Now my brother and Linda taunt me whenever they see one of those birds. May have to take Brad’s route and go a boat tour next time I am in the Acadia NP area. There are also situation targets on my list like a cygnets on the back of mom or better shot of a Wood Duck actually in a tree. Sooo many shots…soooo little time. Is nice to get a few of them checked off though. Take care Jerry and appreciate the stop by.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pretty Pipits. Ruger is coming into his own. Congratulations, Ruger. You deserve to look adorable, all sacked out. Angry Nuns with rulers PTSD bytes! A Halloween obsession is better therapy than therapy. So many of our obsessions are better therapies than therapy. Too bad we can’t get insurance to help pay for our therapeutic obsessions.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It has been really fun watching Ruger progress. As mentioned before, we have not owned this caliber of pup before and figuring out how to control all that energy has been a learning experience – all kudos go directly to Linda, I’m the one who just gives out the treats so he likes me ha. Yes, completely agree, my addiction to all things haunt has kept me focused and those demons at bay. I’ve been desensitized enough to clowns now (thanks in large part to our haunted trail clown collecton), but the nun shakes is still real and debilitating so none of those are on the trail ..yet. Hmmmm, I am liking this insurance concept…maybe write off the trail costs as immersive therapy..I like the way you think Tim!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Maybe you could start with a Sister Mary Elephant display to start addressing your Con-Nun-Drum-On-Your-Knuckles PTSD. “ClaAass! ClAaAss! CLAAASSS! SHUTUP!”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow, you are going back in time with that reference (late 70’s I think) Tim, wow. She was much more forgiving than our nuns, one would count to 6 so quiet we couldn’t here her and then unload .. lot of pent up frustration with that one ha.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve been a Cheech and Chong fan since my early teens, maybe pre-teens.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Just a tad before my time, I still remember some of their lines in movies, but don’t ask me which ones as they all were the same in my opinion.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I haven’t seen their movies. I used to listen to their records. Although the scene on YouTube where they are in the van and Cheech is teaching Chong Spanish, starting with pendejo, is hilarious.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not sure I heard a single one of their records – parents were not exactly fond of their take on life. My favorite movie line is when they got pulled over by a cop and he asks him for his license “ain’t it on the back of the van!?!” classic ha.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You didn’t miss out. They were funny when I was in my teens.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Looks like Cheech may have grown out of that phase.. Chong, well that is a different story entirely.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Congratulations on being able to scratch the Pipit from that nemesis list.
Congratulations on being able to have an award-winning pup in the house.
We get to hunt for the much-smaller-than-you-would-think American Pipit during fall migration. We’ve found a sod farm nearby which hosts hundreds of shorebirds each winter. Trying to distinguish the little gray bird that resembles a baby mockingbird within a group of dozens of Least Sandpipers is loads of fun. Loads.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Wally, persistence has definitely paid off on that front. A sod farm is a PERFECT place to hunt these Pipits. I can definitely understand the struggle distinguishing them from the Leasts, only help is to keep an eye out for those bobbing tails to at least get them narrowed down to a few options. Great description of them as I think about it from your reference they do look like baby mocks without the white wing flashes. I remember the Cornell description in reference to their size “bigger than a Yellow-Rumbed Warbler”…well, that narrows it down ..NOT ha. Appreciate the drop in Wally.
LikeLike
Nice photos of the pipit, Brian. We see them them here in winter at lower, and in summer at higher elevations. I love their bobbing gait and vocalizations.
I imagine that by now, you look like Ruger, after your training run today! I hope it went well and you will recover quickly.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Tanja! This is one of those birds that were probably all around me, but didn’t realize it until I actually went specifically looking for one…as mentioned, I run into them all the time now. Only difference between Ruger and I after a run is he is usually crashed out with a smile on his face…where I look like the Grimace wondering who’ll put me out of my misery hehehehe. Race day closing fast…will be interesting to see if the training plan was sufficient this year…fingers crossed ha.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, fingers crossed! 🤞
LikeLiked by 1 person
Woo-hoo, thanks for the shout-out, Brian! That tail-bobbing could be a very effective “beating the bushes” sort of behavior. I’ve not seen a Pipit yet, but will be looking for them in the fall and winter, here along the Texas Gulf Coast. In fact, the eBird species sightings map shows a fair concentration of them just 20km south of my house – they are now officially On My List!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are quite welcome Sam! I am betting you have already seen one, but didn’t realize it – they blend in so well and as mentioned in the post if you are not paying attention you could easily overlook the bill and assume Sparrow. Good luck on the quest! Appreciate you dropping by and have a great (and safe) 4th of July!
LikeLike
Ruger looks very impressed with himself, Brian. Congrats! Congrats also on spotting the Pipit. Nice shots of a very plain looking bird.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ruger is definitely sure of himself and has been prancing around the house flashing his ribbons in the face of his brothers – not very becoming hahaha. Thanks for the kind words regarding the Pipit. Definitely one of the harder species to pick out among all the other similarly colored ground birds. Appreciate you stopping in!
LikeLiked by 1 person