Lesser Short-toed Lark?

[ArturBujanowicz]

Photos were taken on May 18th, in Southwest Poland. The Bird was about 150m away from me and the weather was bad, so I could not take better pics. Bird has the same size as Siskin. Is it Lesser Short-toead Lark?

http://img382.imageshack.us/img382/1433/skowronek1um3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/1097/skowronek2px7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/8505/skowronek3jb6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Hirundo]

It appears to have well streaked breast and primary projection of lesser...assume very rare bird for Poland?

[Colin Key]

Well, being very familiar with Short-toed and Lesser Short-toed, I think I can say that this is probably not Short-toed, but on the other hand I cannot see any evidence of breast-streaking which is the single most important I.D. point for Lesser.

BUT (I have not "pressed the button" yet to post!!), looking again I think that there is a possibility of Lesser here.

Great photos!!!

Colin :err:

[stenura]

The plain wing and the facial patterns in the lower image looks a lot like Skylark to me. The bird seems browner (less grey) than expected, and the head seems to be proportionally smaller than in Lesser Short-toed Lark. Size is always subjective and many times misleading. Are there anything (apart from size) that points away from Skylark?

[Bobolink44]

Yes, good point, now I look at it again it does look Skylarkish (is there a dark patch on upper breast or just an illusion though?)

[nickderry]

I can't see anything wrong for skylark either here.