Fifties Wagtail Bobbing, Bobtail

Ministering unto my mother today so not much time for togging. I snapped this immature pied wagtail on her lawn.

I had never seen one until my parents bought in bales of peat in the late fifties to grow a crop, I can't remember which, under glass. We children had to break the compacted peat up between our fingers, a bit like making shortcrust pastry. The pied wagtails colonised our glasshouses at the same time. I have been researching and we were not alone, other glasshouse growers noted their arrival and papers were written on the subject.

These birds are naturally found near water, one of the largest roosts is in a reedbed, but they have adapted to modern life and are as likely to be seen in car parks. I love to see them bobbing about at M&S in Cheshunt on my weekly visits. :)