White Wagtail - 1994

White Wagtails subspecies alba pass through Pembrokeshire in both spring (from March to May) and autumn (late August to October), sometimes in considerable numbers, such as 200 at Skokholm on 15 September 1988. Many of these originate in Iceland, judging by ringing recoveries, but it is likely that others are Scandinavian, as their passage coincides with the occurrence of other species from that area, such as Grey-headed Wagtails, Scandinavian Rock Pipits and Bluethroats. Ringing also shows that birds passing through Pembrokeshire journey on to France and Spain on the return migration.

Masked Wagtail Motacilla alba personata - 2016

Masked Wagtail M. a. personata, a well watched bird at Camrose between 29th November and 26th December 2016 (J. Hudson et al) was accepted by the BBRC as the first record of this race in the UK.

White Wagtail - 1949 status

Motacilla alba alba

Regular and often numerous on passage, especially in autumn.

R.M.Lockley, G.C.S.Ingram, H.M.Salmon, 1949, The Birds of Pembrokeshire, The West Wales Field Society

Pied Wagtail - 1949 status

Motacilla alba yarrellii

Numerous breeder, and nesting on most islands (Ramsey, Skomer, Skokholm, Caldey, not Grassholm).  Roost of 600-1000 in gorse at Martletwy, Jan-March 1935.  Also regular and numberous autumn passage migrant.

R.M.Lockley, G.C.S.Ingram, H.M.Salmon, 1949, The Birds of Pembrokeshire, The West Wales Field Society

Pied Wagtail - 2003-07

The Pied Wagtail, sub- species yarrelli, breeds throughout Pembrokeshire.

In Pembrokeshire, Pied Wagtails utilise a wide range of nesting habitats, ranging from natural cavities, holes and recesses e.g. in rock faces or sea-cliffs, (pers. obs.) banks, old stone walls, buildings, e.g. out buildings, barns, sheds and even castles. Foraging habitats include the foreshore, saltmarsh, farmland, including farm yards and slurry pits, and urban environments.

The 1984-88 tetrad survey confirmed that the Pied Wagtail is a widespread breeding resident.  It was found in most parts of the county, from the coastal fringes and offshore islands to the upper parts of the Preseli Hills.  The map shows that by the 2003-07 tetrad survey, the distribution of breeding Pied Wagtails had become patchy, with gaps opening up in parts of mid-Pembrokeshire and areas such as the Pencaer Peninsula and Cemaes/Poppit/St. Dogmaels area.  These localised losses appear to have been counter-balanced by breeding records obtained in the 2003-07 survey in tetrads where Pied Wagtails had not previously been recorded as confirmed or probable breeding.

The tetrad data indicate an overall increase in the number of tetrads where Pied Wagtails occur as a breeding species:

A 17.2% increase in the number of tetrads in which breeding was confirmed between the two tetrad surveys compares favourably with a 15% increase in the breeding population across the UK as a whole between 1994 and 2007 (data from the BBS survey).

Following the 1984-88 tetrad survey, the total breeding population of Pied Wagtails in the county was estimated to be between 1400 and 1700 pairs, based on an average density of 5-6 pairs per tetrad. On this basis the 2003-07 tetrad survey suggests an increase in the total breeding population, to perhaps 1,700 – 2,000 pairs.

Jane Hodges

Fieldwork 2003-07 (based on 490 tetrads)

Red = breeding confirmed = 192

Orange = breeding probable = 105

Yellow = breeding possible = 72

Total tetrads in which registered = 369 (75.3%)

Pied Wagtail - 1994

Breeding resident and passage migrant

A common resident in Mathew's (1894) day and a numerous breeder to Lockley et al. (1949). Today the Pied Wagtail subspecies yarrelli breeds throughout the county, but its distribution is a little patchy (see map). It is most numerous in the south of the county and in the Preseli Mountains area, being scarcer over much of the dairyland that dominates central Pembrokeshire. At an estimated average density of five to six pairs per tetrad the total population is about 1,400-1,700 pairs.

There appears to be a small spring passage, with birds in fresh plumage appearing briefly on the coast and islands.

Small numbers, up to ten at a time, are seen on autumn passage on the islands and passing down the coast, and a nestling ringed at St David's in June 1963 was recovered in France in November 1963.

They form communal roosts during the winter. The roost sites are prone to change, sometimes after being used for years. Roost sizes are mainly between 100 and 300 birds but Lockley et al. recorded up to about 1,000 at Martletwy between January and March 1935.

White Wagtails subspecies alba pass through Pembrokeshire in both spring (from March to May) and autumn (late August to October), sometimes in considerable numbers, such as 200 at Skokholm on 15 September 1988. Many of these originate in Iceland, judging by ringing recoveries, but it is likely that others are Scandinavian, as their passage coincides with the occurrence of other species from that area, such as Grey-headed Wagtails, Scandinavian Rock Pipits and Bluethroats. Ringing also shows that birds passing through Pembrokeshire journey on to France and Spain on the return migration.

Fieldwork 1984-88 (based on 478 tetrads)

Red = breeding confirmed = 159

Orange = breeding probable = 38

Yellow = breeding possible = 90

Total tetrads in which registered = 287 (60%)

Donovan J.W. & Rees G.H (1994), Birds of Pembrokeshire

Pied Wagtail - 1970s breeding

Red = breeding confirmed

Orange = breeding probable

Yellow = breeding possible

Pied Wagtail - 1980s winter atlas

The BTO winter atlas showed that Pied Wagtails were present in most 10km squares during the winters of 1981-82, 1982-82 and 1983-84.

The darker the colour, the higher the relative total count for each 10km square.  The darkest blue represents over 19 birds seen in a day, as at roosts.

Graham Rees

Pied Wagtail - 1894

Species account from M Mathew, 1894, "The Birds of Pembrokeshire and its islands"

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White Wagtail - 1894

Species account from M Mathew, 1894, "The Birds of Pembrokeshire and its islands"

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