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Peter,
Thanks for the reply...
Yes... I have become familiar with your Willy
Wagtail and saw many of them during the 2 weeks we were on vacation in your
beautiful country. Definitely not that species. Willy doesn't have a
bib for starters...and the long legs of a real Wagtail would separate it
quickly, as well as the walking pattern of the bird I saw foraging within the
puddle of water.
As I say... I have extensive experience with
Black-backed Wagtails...at least one individual observed for hundreds of
hours. There was no hesitation when I called out the species from the
airplane....and I'm confident it was either a Black-backed or possibly a
White Wagtail.
Without photographic evidence however, I'm
realistic enough that it will be rejected as an identification. I do hope
though that I will sensitize people to the possibility of that species in the
Adelaide area. The Black-backed Wagtail in 1995 in my California area had a set
roost tree and it foraged near it during dawn and dusk, feeding about 2 miles
upstream of that tree during the day. Thus if the Adelaide bird is staying
around, it might be best looked for during those times around the General
Terminal.
Joel Weintraub
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