Pied Wagtail with yellow face

[Beryl]

This is a most different Wagtail to any I have seen, having only seen pied and grey.
This seams to be a mixture of both or could it have flown over from another country.
I can’t find it in any of my books. And Juveniles have a much lighter cap. This one has a black cap.
Any ideas please?

[Barbara]

I've never seen a pied wagtail with a yellow face before Beryl only a white one. I wonder how that happened.

Barbara

[Wild-Woman]

Originally Posted by Beryl

This is a most different Wagtail to any I have seen, having only seen pied and grey.
This seams to be a mixture of both or could it have flown over from another country.
I can’t find it in any of my books. And Juveniles have a much lighter cap. This one has a black cap.
Any ideas please?

Think this is in it's winter plummage, tinged yellow. Nice shot Beryl.

[cherrybee]

I found a link to a white wagtail with a yellow face this is what it said:

"Adult male Citrine Wagtails are quite gorgeous birds with dazzling yellow heads bordered by a neat black scarf. The yellow extends down the rest of the underparts, the upperparts are basically grey with white wing bars. In other plumages they show variable amounts of yellow but the impression is usually of a White Wagtail with a yellow face. To confirm that your bird isn't a Yellow Wagtail, look at how there is a complete pale border around the ear coverts. Juveniles in autumn can be completely devoid of yellow and so look even more like White Wagtails, but the lack of a broad, dark ring across the breast should prevent confusion"

I wonder if yours is one of these
Here is the link
Motacilla citreola

[Beryl]

I did looked in all of my books and found the ones you mention Citrine Wagtails but I couldnot find one with such a bright yelleow face, not even in winter or summer plumage. Juveniles are slightly yellow but do not have the jet black cap.
I supose it could be s cross as where these wagtails are there are in Phear park only the two , pied and grey.

[cannylad]

Hi Beryl these birds are quite variable, in my opinion its just a well coloured juvenile pied.

Had one up here late last year with an almost bright yellow face and i thought i had something special, but time and a little research proved it was only a Pied.

regards brian.

[Wild-Woman]

This is from the Collins Bird guide Beryl.
Pied Wagtail -Motacilla alba

ID
Winter:White chin and throat,on some tinged yellow;black breast-band.Forehead white, white with greenish-yellow tinge,or light grey with greenish tinge (adult male whitest; immatures can have no white at all).

The citrine has no black cap.

Hope this helps.

[aeshna5]

Definitely a Pied Wagtail. I don't think Citrine Wagtail has ever been recorded in UK at his time of year (always a first time!) but as Jules says it doesn't have a black cap.

Citrine Wagtails that turn up as spring vagrants are cracking birds, but most sightings in autumn (late July-Sep) are usually juveniles + could easily be overlooked as juv White/Pied Wagtails unless you're familiar with their field marks. It's another species which in recent years is showing a westwards expansion of its breeding range- now regularly breeding in Poland + I think just about got a toehold in Finland

[colincurry]

Can you help with this one, please? I snapped him yesterday morning, not at the best angle as he was high up in a tree. In my ignorance, I tend towards the white wagtail, especially as it might be my first! Live in hope ......

Thanks

Colin

[Beryl]

Thanks.
I have the Collins, RSPB abd seveal other books. I guess they can mix it a bit It's just rather strange to look at them most have pure wite. I spotted this one with a beetle and notied the difference in the face.