Hi all,
Just a quick update: This afternoon there was still one Eastern Yellow Wagtail at Wagtail Way, Ash Island, Newcastle/Hexham, NSW. Nearby there was an Australasian Pipit checking out its northern relative. Also of note were three White-fronted Chats (male, female and juvenile). Finally, there was one briefly and distantly singing Mangrove Gerygone near the parking lot at the entrance.
Cheers,
Nikolas
P.S. This makes three Motacilla species in just over a week for me: Grey Wagtail, White Wagtail (the former in, the latter above my parents’ backyard in Mannheim, Germany) and now Eastern Yellow Wagtail in NSW.
P.P.S. Two more binocularless side effects of my business trip to Germany were two flocks of migrating Common Cranes and a female Eagle-Owl (all during a 10 minute walk in the dark between my conference venue and my hotel in Marburg, Germany).
Hi Nikolas,
Thanks to you and Raja for all the sharing you do….it’s much appreciated and enjoyed.
We were in Europe for 6 months last summer, mostly in Denmark but had a super, birding trip to Estonia and a dash to Scotland / England. Your mention on Motacilla made me think of our views:-
M.f. flava (Blue-headed), the most common one in Denmark and Estonia, but, M.f. thunbergi (Grey-headed, the Northern bird) seen as a passage migrant in Estonia – wow! M. cinerea ( Grey Wagtail), a pair by a stream in Scotland. M. citreola (Citrine Wagtail), several in Estonia. Double – wow!! And then there are the White Wagtail group, M.a. alba on the Continent, and the M.a.yarreli (Pied) in U.K.
A couple of years ago on Wagtail Way we saw, – what…..a M.a.tchutchensis or a simillima???White eyebrow and white throated, but both non-breeders are reasonably similar, so…!!?
Cheers, Peter Madvig