Wagtail help please

[Run rabbit]

We often see little birds that I'm sure are pied wagtails in supermarket car park and motorway services stations, hopping around picking up crumbs between cars. Lovely little things wagging their tails up and down constantly.

However on a walk near the Yorks coast 3 weeks ago we saw a much bigger version of the same thing sitting happily on a large heap of slurry? or something that smelled nasty. It stayed while we watched it and it seemed to have the same markings but was almost the size of a thrush and somehow a bit whiter. Saw another one today on a reservoir walk.

I think that it must be a migrating white wagtail but the various sources seem a bit confusing.

Can anyone help please?

[wildone]

Certainly not a White Wagtail which is the same size as a Pied Wagtail. 'Fraid cannot help ID your bird.

wildone

[Hawkmoon]

Possibly a wader of some description?

[Run rabbit]

Thank you both for your thoughts - pity I didn't have my camera.

Cheers Jo

[eamonn321]

Was it a magpie?

[Run rabbit]

No - even I would recognise a magpie

It wasn't that big - about 8 inches and a bit fatter than the usual wagtails I see. Perhaps it was just jolly healthy !!!

[aeshna5]

What about a Common Sandpiper? The habitat would be right + like wagtails have a bobbing action as they feed + are white below.

[Run rabbit]

Thanks aeshna5.

I've had a look at some pictures of them but its not quite right - they seem to have a brown back and these did not.

Cheers

[ChrisJB]

Ringed Plover?

Regards, Chris