little 'white' bird

heidi · #1 (**permalink**) 16-05-2008, 10:03 AM

Hello everyone! I have been looking at this site for over a year now, and not managed to write anything yet! So here goes!! I was driving throught the country lanes in Yorkshire at 4 in the morning, and couldn't help but notice a tiny bird that either had a complete white head or front just 'sitting' in the road - you would have thought it was a bit of paper on the road, until it took off at high speed almost vertically! I thought this was a 'one off' but it kept happening with individual birds dotted around, they were not in a flock, I would drive maybe a mile of just a few hundred yards before I saw another one. Then like magic - no more! so they must just like the time of between 4 - 5 am! does anyone have any idea what I might have seen???
x

Ollie · #2 (**permalink**) 16-05-2008, 10:12 AM

Hi Heidi and a warm welcome. Pleased you have plucked up the courage to post.

The only bird that comes to mind is a Pied Wagtail and I say this as you describe it as a tiny bird.

No doubt others will come up with more suggestions but that's my thoughts at the moment.
Roger

Kayleigh · #3 (**permalink**) 16-05-2008, 10:21 AM

Hi heidi and welcome, I have no idea what your birds are. Is it possible to get a pic.

Steven Munday · #4 (**permalink**) 16-05-2008, 11:15 AM

Hello Heidi, Pied Wagtail would be the usual suspect from the scenario you describe. They can often be found feeding along roads and other artificial surfaces looking for small invertibrates.

deer boy · #5 (**permalink**) 16-05-2008, 02:56 PM

Hi heidi & a big WAB welcome from me

Chas · #6 (**permalink**) 17-05-2008, 10:52 AM

Could have been House Martins down on the ground gathering mud for their nests. They have white throats and white rumps and would fly up very quickly when disturbed. I have seen them doing just that, they are small but not "tiny".

galanthus · #7 (**permalink**) 17-05-2008, 11:17 AM

Hi Heidi

enormous welcome to WAB, now you've done your first post you'll be typing frantically every day

I'd agree with pied wagtail, I always see them in the middle of the road or pavement and the white front etc fits the bird.

heidi · #8 (**permalink**) 17-05-2008, 12:24 PM

hi Everyone!

Thanks for getting back to me - I can see what you mean by the pied wagtail, it could have been I suppose, but I get a lot of them in my paddock and they always are bobbing around! These were like baby owls - you just did not see them until they flew! Oh well! I will just have to make a 4 am trip agian and really look! Can't photo them I'm afraid, they are like ghost birds! Don't know they are there until they are gone if that makes sense!

what a lovely community this is, I really didn't expect so many replies so quick! I have a pic of a mothe I will post when I find it, as I can't find that in any of my books either, I live in a remote place so get some really different wildlife! I had a rough legged buzzard perched on a fence post in November!

Heidi:

heidi · #9 (**permalink**) 17-05-2008, 12:27 PM

hi Everyone!

Thanks for getting back to me - I can see what you mean by the pied wagtail, it could have been I suppose, but I get a lot of them in my paddock and are always bobbing around! These were like baby owls, really still - you just did not see them until they flew! Oh well! I will just have to make a 4 am trip again and really look! Can't photo them I'm afraid, they are like ghost birds! Don't know they are there until they are gone if that makes sense!

What a lovely community this is, I really didn't expect so many replies so quick! I have a pic of a moth I will post when I find it, as I can't find that in any of my books either, I live in a remote place so get some really different wildlife! I had a rough legged buzzard perched on a fence post in November!

Heidi:

welsh.lensman · #10 (**permalink**) 17-05-2008, 05:43 PM

Hi heidi, welcome to the best site on wildlife subjects around, now that you've started posting carry on doing so, your contributions are appreciated.