yellow or grey wagtail

[ExiledWool]

I can't say for certain but I think I've just seen a yellow or grey Wagtail. It was down a leaf littered path with railway to one side (plenty of trees and shrubs) and fire station. All I saw was a flash under it's long tail as it leaped out of a leaf pile over the fire station wall. Waited a couple of minutes but it didn't return.

Could it have been either of the wagtails mentioned?

[david156]

Most probably a Grey as Yellow Wagtails are summer visitors.
Also greys do have longer tails.

Cheers David.

[Ukwildlifeo]

Could have been a pied or a grey wagtail. The grey wagtail is usually found by water, and the pied is often found in towns/urbanised areas so I would suggest pied was most likely. That is unless you saw a flash of yellow then grey wagtail is probably most likely.

Yellow wagtials ahve all migrated south by now, if their were any stragglers I think the cold would have pushed them South!

[ExiledWool]

I'm almost certain it wasn't pied because of the yellow flash. That's what drew me too it

Thanks for replies folks, will look out for it again

[htcdude]

If you definately saw a yellow flash then it will be a Grey Wagtail.

Nige

[Dogghound]

Most likely a grey then. Any water around? streams, ponds etc? they are often found close to water but not always. Additionally all of this snow and cold weather can result in birds turning up anywhere.

[RobS]

I've seen them outside the house where there is no water so 100% grey for me. As dogghound says, normally by water but not always. Super little bird if you get good views.

Rob S

[rossy]

round at me mams , a grey wagtail has been resident for 2 weeks now , and her house is nowhere near water, and its having it out with the robin, will take some pics and put them on if i can work it out. rossy.

[diggleken]

yes, the yellow will make it a grey - although they breed near water, they will also as has been said, use their wits and forage some distance away, especially in poor conditions such as now.
Pied will also forage around, also sometimes near water - birds do fly after all!
Cheers
Ken

[thebeard]

Yep, grey for me too. I've noticed during this snow that the pied wags are becoming more confiding. Yesterday one was running about outside the greengrocers amongst shoppers feet, and then today one walked right in front of me in town before flying up onto a bin, and then later one at attenborough was feeding right by the path and allowed me to get within a few feet.

I've found most wagtails (even yellows) are pretty confiding birds anyway.