Black-headed Wagtail at the Lizard

An adult male Black-headed Wagtail was found at the Waterings, Housel Bay, Lizard on Sunday 19th May by Tony Blunden.  It spent all day in the cattle field catching insects.  The record followed a strong easterly air flow directly from Scandinavia.  It was present for just one day.

I have seen a lot of this sub species of Yellow Wagtail abroad in Cyprus, and this bird is one of the purest I have seen.  There was no white in the chin or hint of any supercilium.

A look at past Cornwall records makes this bird the third record.  Several previous records have been rejected on review or just not submitted, see below data kindly supplied by Derek Julian.

Ad male Black-headed Wagtail, Lizard, May 2019

Yearly sightings:

1964 – One at Marazion Marsh 29th June. (After review in 1993 was found as unacceptable by BBRC). [8] [12]

1978 – One at Pentire Farm, Polzeath 5th June. (After review in 1993 was found as unacceptable by BBRC) [9]

1999 – One, male, at Walmsley Sanctuary 11th-12th May. (Evans says present 3 days on about 10th/11th May) [1][2][3][10]

2000 – One at Maer Lake 25th-28th May. (Not submitted to BBRC?) [11]

2010 – One first summer male at Land’s End 29th April to 1st May. [4][5][6]

(2011 – One male at Drift Reservoir 16th September. [14] )

2016 – One female from Land’s End Cycle path 18th May. (Not submitted to BBRC?) [7]

(2019 – One adult male at Housel Bay, Lizard 19th May. [7] )



Site Records:

Camel Estuary

1999 – One male at Walmsley Sanctuary 11th-12th May. [1][2][3][10]

Drift Reservoir

(2011 – One male at Drift Reservoir 16th September. [14] )

Land’s End

2010 – One first summer male 29th April to 1st May. [4][5][6]

(2016 – One female from Land’s End Cycle path 18th May. (Not submitted to BBRC?) [7]

(Lizard

2019 – One adult male at Housel Bay, 19th May. [7] )

(Maer Lake

2000 – One at Maer Lake 25th-28th May. (Not submitted to BBRC?) [11])

(Marazion Marsh

1964 – One at Marazion Marsh 29th June. (After review in 1993 was found as unacceptable by BBRC). [8] [12])

(Pentire Head

1978 – One at Pentire Farm, Polzeath 5th June. (After review in 1993 was found as unacceptable by BBRC) [9])

References

1 – Slack R, Rare Birds Where and When Vol 1, page 129.

2 – Evans LGR, Black-headed Wagtails on Powys, Cornwall and Essex in Rare Birds Vol 5 No 3, page 204

3 – Rogers, MJ and the Rarities Committee, British Birds Vol 93, page 548

4 – Hudson, NAJ and the Rarities Committee, British Birds Vol 104, page 617;

5 – British Birds 109: plate 220

6 – Birding World 23, page 188

7 – CBWPS Website

8 – CBWPS Thirty-fourth Annual Report 1964, page 45.

9 – CBWPS Birds in Cornwall 1978, page 59.

10 – Birds in Cornwall 1999, page 91.

11 – Birds in Cornwall 2000, page 101.

12 – Rogers, MJ and the Rarities Committee, British Birds Vol 87, page 543.

13 – Rogers, MJ and the Rarities Committee, British Birds Vol 93, page 548.

14 – Julian DI, Personal Records.

Reference(s): Birding World 23 (5): 188, photo; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 104: 617; British Birds 109: plate 220