ID please Herefordshire

[crisscross]

thought we had an unusual visit of a Pied Wagtail, but it had a preening session in the pear tree and thought, oh no just a Tit.....but it looks like a cross

[ChrisJB]

Originally Posted by crisscross

thought we had an unusual visit of a Pied Wagtail, but it had a preening session in the pear tree and thought, oh no just a Tit.....but it looks like a cross

Yup a pied wagtail.

Chris

[captaincarot]

female

[rossy]

pity there wasnt 2 then you would have had a pair, in the pear tree, pied wagtails that is. rossy.

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by captaincarot

female

...or it could be a first winter male.
The yellow tinge to the face suggests that this could be a first winter bird (in which case it could be a male) - I certainly wouldn't be prepared to say from this single photo!

I could complicate things even more by saying that the very clean flanks are also interesting as they are more suggestive of White Wagtail (Montacilla alba alba - the continental race) than Pied (M. a. yarrellii).
However, it is far more likely to be a Pied, and I think that it is impossible to identify to race from this photo (the very black cap is probably more suggestive of Pied).

[captaincarot]

Originally Posted by RoyW

.

I could complicate things even more by saying that the very clean flanks are also interesting as they are more suggestive of White Wagtail (Montacilla alba alba - the continental race) than Pied (M. a. yarrellii).
However, it is far more likely to be a Pied, and I think that it is impossible to identify to race from this photo (the very black cap is probably more suggestive of Pied).

you could. and if it had a grey head it would be, but it's black so it aint,winter plumaged alba have grey heads. though there is a lot about it that suggests alba otherwise

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by captaincarot

you could. and if it had a grey head it would be, but it's black so it aint,winter plumaged yarrelli have grey heads. though there is a lot about it that suggests yarrelli otherwise

But winter male alba do have black heads (it would have to be an adult though).
I guess that I was just suggesting (in my own way) that it is difficult to say anything with certainty about the sex, age and race of this Wagtail!

A nice garden bird for you - and a very nice photo by the way crisscross (and it really doesn't matter about the exact details of age etc.)!

[captaincarot]

Originally Posted by RoyW

But winter male alba do have black heads (it would have to be an adult though).
I guess that I was just suggesting (in my own way) that it is difficult to say anything with certainty about the sex, age and race of this Wagtail!

not according tosvensson, zetterstrom and mullarney

[faz]

i thought the differance between male and female was male hasa blck back female greay from the picture you cant tell other than yes a pied wagtail

[captaincarot]

Originally Posted by faz

i thought the differance between male and female was male hasa blck back female greay from the picture you cant tell other than yes a pied wagtail

the shoulders are clearly grey in the picture which is what indicates alba, or juvenile or female yarelli