A Pipit By Any Other Name...

Today I heard a familiar sound as I was leaving work - the shrill seep-seeps of pipits somewhere high overhead. Once upon a time they were called Water Pipits, but then there was a split, and our Water Pipits became American Pipits - as distinguished from the Asiatic form known by its Asiatic name, Japanese Pipit (also sometimes referred to as Siberian Pipit). But according to Wikipedia both the American and Japanese/Siberian Pipits are merely subspecies of the Buff-bellied Pipit. Buff-bellied Pipit? Holy Jeebus! This is getting way too complicated.

Anyway, I heard Water/American/Buff-bellied Pipits flying at a safe altitude away from Riverfront Park, just as any sensible bird would be doing. I don't really have any other noteworthy bird sightings...come to think of it, even my pipits don't constitute a sighting. It's more of a hearing. I just don't do much birding anymore, aside from the backyard and feeder-watching sort - another consequence of becoming a responsible adult. Born Again Birdwatcher has something to say about this in his recent blog. Kids. Gotta love 'em. Cuz if we didn't, well, we'd all be off doing something else.