WAGTAIL 4/5 - Yellow Wagtail

Yellow Wagtail

Many of the Penang birders were at Chuping on that day. The target was the vagrant Citrine Wagtail. Nelson was one of them and Choy Mun group. I was late reaching the place that Thursday cos following the GPS coordinates given by David I was routed to a Felda village!

Everyone was hopeful but nobody have an idea where to look. I wandered off along the power line route whilst the others stayed safe near the road. For me I was happy to get the Yellow Wagtail which is hard to find in Klang Valley.

Yellow Wagtails winter in South East Asia and many warmer continents. It is a slender 15–16 cm long bird, with the characteristic long, constantly wagging tail of its genus. It is the shortest tailed of the wagtails. The breeding adult male is basically olive back above and yellow below. In other plumages, the yellow may be diluted by white. The heads of breeding males come in a variety of colours and patterns depending on subspecies some black, grey and yellow to olive green tones. The call is a characteristic high-pitched jeet.This insectivorous bird inhabits open country near water.

Could this be the Citrine Wagtail but the supercillium do not round back to its neck.....

 Below Eastern Yellow Wagtail (Subspecie Taivana) December 20199 Sg Balang

WAGTAIL 3/5 - White Wagtail

 White Wagtail

White Wagtail do visit Peninsula Malaysia but very rare unlike the Yellow and Grey Wagtails that we are seeing now from the months ahead of November till March.

It is a ground bird in dull colors of grey and white.The most conspicuous habit of this species is a near-constant tail wagging, a trait that has given the species, and indeed the genus, its common name. In spite of the ubiquity of this behaviour, the reasons for it are poorly understood. It has been suggested that it may flush prey, or signal submissiveness to other wagtails. A recent study has suggested instead that it is a signal of vigilance to potential predators. There are many variation in patterns depending on its region and hence subspecies. This one I got is from Nepal/ Himalaya – alboides

 

This lone white Wagtail was sighted in Chuping Perlis February 2013

WAGTAIL 2/5 - Grey Wagtail

 Grey Wagtail

They are migratory birds from as far up South Korea. They may be some of the first few to be on their holidays to Malaysia. Usually found in coastal mudplains and waterways even drains The last encounter was in Ipoh in a big monsoon drain. That was Feb 2006. The ones I seen this weekend were grey blue headed, yellow bellied and red legs. Maybe juveniles and their bloom are immaculate tidy.

From head to tail its about 9-10" in length It is long.

 

WAGTAIL 1/5 - Forest Wagtail

 Forest Wagtail

An uncommon passage migrant to Malaysia and SEA from its breeding ground of Russia, Korea and China.

Broad black crescentic breast patch separated from broken black crescentic patch by creamy white breast band together with whitish wingbars. Upperparts olive-brown with thin whitish supercilium.Underparts creamy white. Size-18cm.Voice a sharp metallic pink when alarmed. Wagging its long tail all the time Feed on forest grounds near wet areas and streams and muddy creek