Re: Yellow wagtails in OSR
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Yellow wagtails in OSR
JoulesH
01 May 2010, 10:44 PM
Delighted to see no less than 4 yellow wagtails perched in the tops of plants around a field of fully flowering OSR today (at 6am). Big, flat, open landscape in a shallow river valley with cattle grazing 2 fields away. I know they'll feed around the feet of cattle, but it's the first time I've seen them in OSR. Is this unusual?
Re: Yellow wagtails in OSR
mike.mcdowall
03 May 2010, 8:06 AM
I believe not. As I understand the few remaining breeders in the Scottish Borders breed in OSR.
Mike.
P.S. Now been able to check this with Ray Murray, Borders Bird Recorder for the BTO. He says (of OSR) :
"I have seen them in this crop on occasion but usually where crop has failed, often due to waterlogging early in the season that has reduced growth. OSR is usually too dense but I guess some crops are more thinly planted than others on occasion. But as in other crops, the entry is along the tramlines and nesting within cms of the tramlines. The colour when flowering does make them hard to see!
I might say that most of the Borders ones are in spring-sown barley, peas and spuds. Anything that is not too dense in May - that means most autumn sown cereals are useless."
Apologies for over-stating the case.
Re: Yellow wagtails in OSR
richardwinspear
04 May 2010, 2:38 PM
Oilseed rape was not generally used by yellow wagtails in the RSPB study on habitats used on arable farmland in the Fens. It was assumed that this was because of the height and density of the crop, as we know that the invertebrate abundance in oilseed rape crops can be very high.
Re: Yellow wagtails in OSR
alauda26
10 May 2010, 1:53 PM
Certainly I wouldn't expect yellow wags to nest well in OSR when it's reached full maturity, but I have known them to use it earlier in the spring, and, as Mike says, especially where the crop is a bit patchy.
Maybe they were just using the tall stems as perches?