Grey Wagtail

Yesterday, I spoke about trying to film the Grey Wagtails, while quite common, they are not easy to photograph as they are quite skittish. However, I set up and laid in wait for them. I was very close to giving up as I had finished my flask of coffee (Fair Trade), and I was getting hungry and thirsty. As well as a couple of miles of walking, I had the assent from the river valley to the elevation where my home sits.


But the wait had been worth it, I spotted a pair of juveniles flitting from rock to bank and moving towards me feeding at the waters edge. I swung the camera round in readiness and both flew to the shore up the river around the curve, just out of field of view. I looked intently, I knew that if I moved that would be it, they would disappear, so I had to wait. Even though I was looking carefully, I nearly missed them as their grey plumage hides them so completely among the stones of the river and shore. Even as I zoomed in one flew off back up the river. I started recording, and the beautiful little bird stayed feeding totally oblivious to me.


The tail bobbing so characteristic of many insect feeders, is believed to help break up the birds outline to the invertebrates its feeding on, creating the illusion of a branch, twig or leaf just blowing in the wind.


And before anyone asks, I know this is a juvenile by incomplete yellow underbelly, and that at this time of year any mature adult is busy building a nest.