Eastern Yellow Wagtail

Motacilla tschutschensis Gmelin, JF, 1789 (1, 25)

Photo © Rob Stonehouse, Prestwick Carr, Northumberland

STATUS

Eastern Russia, North-east China and Alaska. Polytypic.

OVERVIEW

Yellow Wagtail was recently split (2019) into two species Eastern and Western Yellow Wagtail, both now being polytypic.

The second record occurred a century later, not far from the first in the Northern Isles. Since identification has improved more records have been forthcoming, but call is still needed to be certain.

As the 2019 Norfolk indivdual stayed to attain breeding plumage it was identified as the nominate sub-species M. t. tschutschensis.

---

BBRC RECORDS

1). 1909 Fair Isle No locality, first-winter female, collected, 9th October, now at National Museums of Scotland (NMSZ 1910.132.15).

(K. Williamson & I. J. Ferguson-Lees, British Birds 48: 360; K. Williamson, British Birds 48: 400; Forrester & Andrews et al., 2007; J. M. Collinson, S. Waite & R. Y. McGowan, British Birds 106: 36-41, plates 36-38).

2). 2009 Shetland Burravoe, Yell, 1CY, 4th October, photo, sound recording.

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 112: 612).

3). 2010 Devon Colyton WTW, Colyford, first-winter male, 4th to 19th December, trapped 14th December, photo, sound recording, DNA analysis.

(J. M. Collinson, S. Waite & R. Y. McGowan, British Birds 106: 36-41, plate 42; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 107: 638; British Birds 109: plate 233).

4). 2011 Shetland Bruray, Out Skerries, first-winter, 10th to 14th October, photo, sound recording.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 107: 638, plate 328; British Birds 109: plate 232).

5). 2016 Isles of Scilly Standing Stones field, St Mary's, 1CY, 13th to 17th October, photo, sound recording.

(C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 110: 620).

6). 2016 Outer Hebrides Balivanich, Benbecula, 1CY+, 23rd October, photo, sound recording,

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 114: 616).

7). 2016 Cornwall Lower Bosistow, 1CY, 28th October, photo, sound recording.

(C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 111: 610).

8). 2018 Shetland Haroldswick, Unst, 1CY, 3rd October, photo, sound recording.

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 112: 611-612).

9). 2018 Isles of Scilly Great Pool and Borough Farm, Tresco, 1CY, 10th to 14th October, photo, sound recording.

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 112: 611, plate 346).

10). 2018 Isles of Scilly Riding Stables and Airfield, St Mary's, 1CY, 14th to 18th October, photo, sound recording.

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 112: 611).

11). 2018 Shetland Sumburgh, Mainland, 1CY, 8th November to 4th December, photo, sound recording.

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 112: 612).

12). 2018 Isles of Scilly Pelistry, Kittydown and other sites, St Mary's, 1CY, 14th November to 3rd February 2019, photo, sound recording; presumed same, Lower Moors, St Mary's, 17th April 2019, photo, sound recording.

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 113: 639).

13). 2019 Anglesey Plas Cemlyn, Cemlyn, 1CY, 25th to 27th September, photo, sound recording.

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 113: 639; Scarce and Rare Birds in Wales 2019: photo).

14). 2019 Suffolk Corporation Marshes, Dunwich, 1CY, 25th October to 19th November, photo, sound recording, DNA analysis.

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 113: 640).

15). 2019 Suffolk Havergate Island RSPB, 1CY, 12th November to at least January 2020, photo, sound recording.

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 113: 640).

16). 2019 Northumberland Prestwick Carr, 1CY, 14th December to 26th February 2020, photo, sound recording; again, 23rd March 2020, photo.

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 113: 640, plate 390; P. Cassells & M. J. Carr, Birds in Northumbria 2019: 16-21; C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 114: 616; Birds in Northumbria 2020: photo; C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 115: 602).

17). 2019 Norfolk Sedgeford, 1CY, male, 23rd December to 1st March 2020, photo, sound recording, M. t. tschutschensis.

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 113: 640, plates 106 & 287; BOURC (2022), Ibis 164: 363-368).

18). 2020 Caernarfonshire Bardsey, 1CY, 3rd to 6th October, photo, sound recording.

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 114: 616).

19). 2020 Hampshire Brownwich Cliffs, 1CY, 5th to 6th October, photo, sound recording.

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 114: 616).

20). 2020 Highland Kildonan , Eigg, 1CY, 27th to 30th October, photo, sound recording.

(J. Chester & R. McMillan, Scottish Birds 41: 357-359, plates 247 & 248; C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 114: 616).

21). 2020 Suffolk Dunwich, 1CY, 4th to 16th November, photo, sound recording.

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 114: 616).

22). 2020 Suffolk Dunwich, 2CY+, male, 5th to 16th November, photo, sound recording; presumed same, Carlton Marshes, 24th November to 31st January 2021, photo, sound recording.

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 114: 616, plate 425).

23.0). 2020 Norfolk Kelling, 1CY, 6th to 12th November, photo, sound recording; also seen Kent.

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 114: 616).

23.1). 2020 Kent Worth, 1CY, 20th to 25th November, photo, sound recording; same as Norfolk.

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 114: 616).

24). 2020 Somerset Steart, 1CY, 25th November to 20th December, photo, sound recording.

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 114: 616).

25). 2021 Shetland Noss, Mainland, 1CY, 29th September to 2nd October, photo, sound recording.

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 115: 602, plate 458).

26). 2022 Shetland Brae, Mainland, 1CY+, 2nd October, photo, sound recording.

(L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 116: 591).

P). 2022 Devon Colyford Common, 25th December to 4th January 2023, photo.

(birding information services).

P). 2023 Suffolk Carlton Marshes SWT, February to 1st May, photo.

(birding information services).

P). 2023 Norfolk Salthouse, first-winter, 23rd September.

(birding information services).

P). 2023 Shetland Haroldswick, Unst, first-winter, 26th to 30th September, photo.

(birding information services).

P). 2023 North-east Scotland Rattray Head,, first-winter, 5th to 7th November, photo, DNA analysis, M. tschutschensis.

(birding information services)..

P). 2023 Suffolk Carlton Marshes, male, 26th November; presumed returning individual.

(birding information services).

P). 2024 Fair Isle No locality, 1st October, photo.

(birding information services).