The Water Pipit (anthus spinoletta) is an uncommon winter migrant in Scotland. Most winters there will be maybe a couple of birds which are usually sedentary over the winter period. Sometimes there will be repeated winterings at the same location maybe by the same bird. It is a notorious confusion species as its identification field markings are not all that conspicuous with much overlap with Meadow Pipit and Scandinavian Rock Pipit.
One of the birds photographed here over wintered at the Loch Lomond National Nature Reserve, to the east of the River Endrick on the north edge of the Crom Mhin marsh. The other wintered along a 200 metre stretch of shore line at Ardmore Point on the River Clyde spending most of the time feeding amongst the debris along the high water mark.