Odd White wagtail Romania (1 Viewer)

Hi,

Several days ago (19.05) a female like White wagtail caught my eyes with extremely large black patch on the neck. Looking at the pictures I've realised that the only subspecies that has that black stripe behind the eyes it is the "ocularis" Can this bird be ID'd for certain as an ocularis?
Thanx
Jozsef

Ocularis would usually have a more obvious black eyestripe than on this bird, and it would also usually extend in front of the eye onto the lores. There is usually also more white in the wing coverts than is seen on this bird.

I suspect that this is an alba but with unusual amounts of dark pigment in the ear coverts, creating the faint black eyestripe. But I haven't seen alba for a few years, so it would be interesting to hear the views of others about how this compares.

Hi John,
thanks for your reply, my guess was also a nominate "alba" but that narrow stripe behind the eye was a bit confunsing, didn't know if "ocularis" females have or not the lore black (assuming that this bird is a female and not a 2cy male). Anyway it's most probably a normal "alba".
Cheers
József

I was looking at a white wag today in vadu today, jozsef, with a similarly large bib. :gh: a nominate alba i think, including the bird in your pic. cheers!