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Neddicky.

I think it's a Grey-backed Cisticola, but I also think it will be interesting to hear what the experts have to say mel123...

I would go with Grey-backed Cisticola. Neddicky has a plain back, and the grey wash on the front rules out Levaillant's.

Thanks for the interesting feedback and discussion on this. Seems that my record for always getting it wrong between greybacked and Levaillant's remains intact — but I do learn something every time I ask

Aren't you one of the experts?
I did find the experts' opinions interesting, as I thought. Very educational.

Nah... not at all!

Experts know everything... I'm still learning everyday...

I'd like to ask the experts some help with a bird spotted in my garden in Potchefstroom yesterday.
I suspect it is a juvenile, and my bird books are a bit shy on good descriptions or photo's or sketches of robin-chats, which is what I suspect it is. There were two of them, and one had more extensive orange on the outer tail feathers, right up to the tip, without a black tip on them as is described for the Familiar chat.
It hopped about in some trees, lifting it's tail almost like a prinia, at times. It didn't make a sound.
The giss makes me think robin-chat. I do have adult Cape robin-chats and Karoo Thrushes in the garden. I think its too slender to be a thrush.
I suspect a juvenile Cape robin-chat, but as I said, I lack a good description or image of a juvenile. I was unable to get a photograph of the front (it's a bit skittish), but can tell you it looks mottled grey, orange and faint white spots, just like on the flanks.
I considered Familiar chat, because of the orange tail feathers, but I didn't see any wing flicking at all and I would expect to?







Is it a juvenile Cape robin-chat or maybe something else?

Your logic pointing to the Cape robin-chat is spot-on, mel123

Please help me to identify these three birds seen in Addo in December:

a)



b)



c)



Thank you in advance.

First one is a Karoo robin and last one is a redcapped lark, middle one may be some sort of pipit but I can't be sure which

Thank you so much, arks, for your help. And I just had a look at the Addo bird list and the Newman's Birds of Southern Africa and found out that b) is a Grassveld Pipit (African Pipit).

Bird number two is a pipit. It has markings on the back, putting it in the group of either African or long billed. These are generally very difficult to seperate in the field. The habitat between the two species differs somewhat, (long billed is more likely to be found on rocky hills, African on flatter ground), and the habits, (long billed has more subtle tail wagging). Visually, African has clearer markings on the head and chest.

If I had to guess, I'd say its African Pipit rather than long billed, but they are really hard to seperate for sure.

Just get yourselves a copy of LBJs made simple... The pipits are not that difficult with the right reference.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/67093766@N ... otostream/

I'll get this pic posting thing right eventually, but the link works

These were seen at Northern Farm (Gauteng) last week
Pipit was first to mind but they looked quite grey/slaty which threw me a bit
Please put me out of my misery

Well you were correct about these being Pipits. These are African Pipits.