Dutch Birding volume 34 (2012) no 2

Mixed breeding record of Citrine Wagtail and Blue-headed Wagtail at Zeewolde in 2011

On 12 July 2011, a first-summer male Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola was found during a survey of farmland birds near Zeewolde, Flevoland, the Netherlands. When the site was visited again three days later, it became clear that it was paired with a female Blue-headed Wagtail M flavaand feeding young. On 16 July, three young were seen making their first flights. Over the next days, the family was observed by a total of six birdwatchers; unfortunately the site was not open for public. Although the male and female came very close to the observers, the young always kept well hidden between the sugar beet crops. The male was last seen on 22 July and the female with two young probably on 27 July.
Up to 2010, 28 records of Citrine Wagtail have been accepted by the Dutch rarities committee (CDNA), the first dating back to 1984. Especially since 2006 the number of sightings has increased. This record constituted the first (mixed) breeding of Citrine Wagtail for the Netherlands. In the last decades, the species is expanding its range westwards; it is now breeding regularly in Finland, the Baltic states and Poland. Other cases of mixed breeding have already occurred as far west as England, France and Sweden.

Luuk Draaijer, Kometenlaan 14, 3738 XC Maartensdijk, Nederland
(luukenmaud.draaijerplanet.nl)
Roy Slaterus, Bervoetsbos 71, 2134 PM Hoofddorp, Nederland
(roy.slaterusdutchbirding.nl)