Bird Profile - Wagtails on Mull

Most of us know a wagtail when we see one, after all it’s a bit of a give away with such a self descriptive name as it has.

The wagtail that we see most on Mull is the Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba yarrellii). It is widespread, resident all year round and breeds here in good numbers. There is however emigration from our area in autumn as some birds move down south to escape our damp, wet and cold winters, (sounds like a good idea to me), returning early in the spring.

In late Sepember, on coastal areas such as Fidden, Calgary, Caliach Point and Loch Spelve there is always a chance to see another wagtail amongst the flocks of Pied Wagtails which are frantically feeding in the adjacent fields and shore, prior to their departure south, and this is the White Wagtail (Motacilla alba alba). This is a handsome bird, and adults stand out very clearly with their clean pale grey back and white under parts. It can however be a challenge to be ‘absolutely sure you have a white’ when looking amongst both adult and juvenile Pied Wagtails in summer and eclipse plumage which usually make up the flocks of 50 and more birds. But it is a delight to find one, followed by a quiet feeling of satisfaction about your own birding observation skills.

The only other wagtail we have here on Mull is the Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea) which is also a resident bird and can be found on most of our rivers and burns. Occasionally it is mistakenly identified as a Yellow Wagtail because of its beautiful yellow under parts. Yellow Wagtails do not stay on Mull and are classed as a ‘scarce and less than annual passage migrant’ and we have no Mull records to my knowledge.

There are many other variations in the wagtail family, Blue-headed Wagtail, Citrine Wagtail and others, but none venture this far north. However with our climate changing so rapidly who know what the next year or two will bring?

Alan Spellman