Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba)

Status at Longham Lakes

Common resident and passage migrant.

Higher numbers, perhaps suggesting migration:
1. 20 on 5th November 2003.
2. 41 flew W on 6th August 2004.
3. 25 on 20th October 2005.
4. 15 on 20th September 2004.
5. 20 on 2nd August 2005.
6. 25 (ads and juvs) on 12th August 2006 (Trevor Thorpe).
7. 24 in the Horse Paddocks, 17th August 2007 (Trevor Thorpe).
8. 30 on 7th October 2007 (Chris Parnell).
9. 26 on 4th and 15 on 9th November 2007.
10. 10, including a White Wagtail, 20th March 2008.
11. 26 on 4th November 2008 (Terry Elborn).
12. 13 on 30th April 2008.
13. 15 on 3rd and 16 on 16th September 2009.
14. 15 on 9th March 2009.
15. 20 on 12th September 2009.
16. 30 on 31st August 2010 (Chris Parnell).
17. 14 on 11th October 2010 (Ray Gleason).
18. 22 on 3rd March 2011, with 15 on 5th and 50 on 9th.
19. 100+ on 11th March 2011 (Paul Morton), with 50 on 13th and 14 on 17th.
20. 10 on 17th April 2011 (Trevor Thorpe).
21. 10 on 18th April 2012
22. 14 on 23rd March 2013
23. 20 on 3rd April 2013
24. 10 on 9th March 2015, then 25 on 12th and 20th March.
25. 15+ on 19th March 2016 (Martin Wood).

Breeding:
11 juveniles feeding on damselflies on the Longham Reservoir North shore on 17th June 2009.
Juveniles seen on 30th June 2006.
A few young about on 7th June 2013; at least 4 juveniles on 10th July.
1 juvenile on 20th June 2014 (Trevor Wilkinson).
1 juvenile on 14th May 2015, then 1 adult female feeding a juvenile, 14th July.
2016: 1 pair nested at the Reservoir 1 Draw‐off Chamber (Steve Morrison).

Winter counts
Also 16 on 13th February 2006, perhaps all local birds.
10 on 27th November 2013
8 around the site on 28th November 2014