Buff-bellied Pipit, Fair Isle

Another cracking bird from Fair Isle – it took us three visits to North Light to see it, and a fourth in better weather to get half-decent pics, but it was well worth it. By contrast, the bird at Esha Ness showed first time, but the weather was pretty absymal!

It was surprisingly distinctive amongst Meadow and Rock Pipits – very plain, almost unstreaked, mantle; face pattern dominated by a strong eyering; dark legs; and (obviously) a buff belly! The call was also clearly different – an almost bunting like soft ‘sip’.