Pipits
Pipits really are a family of LBJ's (Little Brown Jobbies). All very similar in general appearance. Brownish, plainish and generally unspectacular. The sort of birds that most people wouldn't give a second glance. You have to look more closely to appreciate them. They can be a bit of a challenge to tell apart, especially for the beginner.
Meadow Pipit - Most people won't even know this bird yet it is one of our most common. Easy to see on moorland, heath & coastal areas. Not a garden bird though. It is a year round resident but with some migratory movement. Quite similar to skylark, but are slightly sleeker, with a longer tail and a finer bill.
Rock Pipit - I suppose these are one of our dullest birds, but I rather like them. They tend to be quite approachable. Resident. True to their name as they're most frequently encountered on rocky shorelines. A visit to Hurst Castle on the south coast proved to be a great spot for them. They were even inside the castle. Slightly larger, plumper and greyer than Meadow Pipit and the streaks on their flanks are more smudged.
Hurst Castle, Hants
Nr.Dunstanburgh Castle, Northumbria
Hayle Estuary, Cornwall - Oct
Tree Pipit - Unlike Meadow and Rock Pipits, Tree Pipits are summer migrants. They can often be seen in the same places as meadow pipit and can be difficult to tell apart. You need either a close look at them or to hear their song, to differentiate. The dark streaks down their flanks are much finer than on the meadow pipit. Their bills are slightly heavier. When singing in the Spring the males repeatedly fly up into the sky then parachute down to the same spot again.
Cannock Chase, Staffs - May & June
Llandegla forest nr. Wrexham - July
Water Pipit - The Water Pipit is also a migrant, but this one is a Winter visitor. They are fairly rare, much more so than the other three. They're a tricky bird to see but tend to come back to the same sites each year. So with a little persistence you can get to see them. They are chunkier than meadow and tree pipit and also paler. They develop a rosy hue to their breast and belly as Spring arrives.
WMBC Belvide
SWT Doxey Marshes, Staffs