Wagtail query

[htcdude]

Hi all!

Big surprise for me, I don't get birds in my garden, however this fella decided to turn up this morning!



Can someone tell me roughly how old it is as i think it looks quite young?

Also I've never heard of them in gardens before (not usually on people's garden lists) is it just because of the snowy spell they visit gardens?

Thanks,

Nige

[2dogs2000]

I don't think they are regular garden visitors. I had one last winter which came quite regularly.
I think it looks young as it is fluffed up to keep warm. I don't know if you can tell its age by plumage but someone else may be able to help you with that.

[Hedgehoggy]

Can't help with ageing the wagtail, but for the last 3 winters I've had a male pied wagtail visiting my garden daily, then he just ups and disappears come the spring. I think they're beautiful little birds . I've no idea what he eats when he visits my garden, as they're predominantly insect eaters, and he just seemingly appears to peck around the perimeter of the food I put on the ground for the visiting ground feeding birds, but he must be eating something here otherwise he wouldn't keep returning on a daily basis!

[healfdan]

I would say that this is a first winter pied wagtail, probably female. We have several along the shoreline where I live.

[Dogghound]

I agree its a 1st winter, you can make out the moult limit in the wing.

[Richard Baber]

They are common visitors to some rural gardens. My parents see them frequently in their West Sussex garden and there were several at a friend's house in High Wycombe that I visited yesterday. My Mum puts out mixed seed on the ground and there's something in there the wagtails take.

Still waiting for one to visit my own garden...

[angelika611]

I have had one in my garden for 2 winters,they like crushed up fatballs,grated cheese,sunflower hearts,and crushed up scones,mix them up and scatter on the ground in different places and they will hang around all day,the other birds love this mix on the bird table to.

[violetbakes]

We get two of these that visit our garden all the time but we do live in a very rural area. Last winter we had one who turned it to what can only be described as a magpie/thug it set about pecking the wingmirrors on the car and landy and then started to peck away at the rubber on the wiper blades, it went away brielfly during the summer but they are back again now.

[htcdude]

Kool thanks all for your replies


Nige

[actionfinch]

My mum has a regular visit now from one , (so jealous i am ) and she puts out some food for it.. i asked her today if she had seen it ...she had... tempting to take camera and pop round...