We watched the wagtail roost at Withybush hospital this evening - nice calm conditions helped.
We estimated that at least 780-800 pied wagtails (it could even have been somewhere between 800 and 1,000) arrived at dusk from various directions - some dropping in steeply from quite a high altitude. We observed quite impressive flocks of 100-150 flying around. Many initially perching on the main hospital roofs, or in some of the nearby ornamental trees, before eventually heading to their preferred roost location above the renal unit.
Some stayed alert on the roof-tops until it got quite dark (looking-out for raptors?) but no obvious predators troubled them. Our last winter max count was about half the number we estimated coming in to roost there this evening. They do seem to have a perfect location.
