Grey-headed Wags in your area?

[Tim Allwood]

Watcha folks

we had two thunbergi wags (Grey-headed) this afternoon at Waxham. Gorgeous birds :bounce: and a form I hadn't seen previously in Britain. They are very scarce here in Norfolk with only a handful of records each year.

Do they occur in your part of the U.K......and if so how unusual are they?

[Jane Turner]

Very rare over here!

[Andrew Whitehouse]

I've never seen one in Britain, but they're certainly tip top birds. Pretty much any race of Yellow Wag is good in Fife.

[Michael Frankis]

Occasional in Northumbs - maybe one every 2 years or so, except they tend to come in clusters, 3 or 4 in one year, then none for a few years. They tend to occur in the same weather conditions (persistent wet NE winds) that bring Bluethroats.

Michael

[david kelly]

The Lothian records of Grey-headed Wagtail are -

1954 Gullane 26 May.
1969 Tyninghame 4 May.
1977 Aberlady 16 May.
1981 Dunbar 14 May
1985 male Aberlady 17 May
1987 female carrying food to nest Barns Ness in June
1987 female Aberlady 14 June
1996 male East Barns 20 May
1996 male Musselburgh 28 May
2003 male Torness 17 May to 2 June

The last one was thought to be an Ashy-headed Wagtail at first.

[tom mckinney]

There has been one at Conwy RSPB on and off recently.

Very scarce on the west coast though.

[Tim Allwood]

thanx for the info people

you've rekindled my enthusiasm for wagtail 'species'

Tim
Keepin Norwich Tidy

[Dan drough]

I have posted a couple of pics of probable GHWags in the BIrd ID thread.

[tom mckinney]

I Can't find them Dan...

[Jos Stratford]

Plenty here, but that's how it should be! Worth noting to UK birders, however, is that they are in good numbers this year. Contrast Citrine Wagtails, which have slumped this year (usually up to six pairs on local patch, absent this year)