Fantastic photographs have captured a rare bird that has become increasingly threatened in the UK.
Images submitted to the Lancashire Telegraph Camera Club by David Gruby show the elusive grey wagtail sitting by the edge of a lake between Clitheroe and Chatburn on Saturday, May 17.
More colourful than its name suggests, the bird has slate grey upper parts and a distinctive lemon under the tail.
Its tail is noticeably longer than those of other wagtails, which include the pied and yellow.
They have gradually moved across the UK and over the past 150 years and are known for their “altitudinal migration”, which moves they move from upland areas into lowland environments.
Grey wagtails are generally considered to be relatively rare, and despite not being critically endangered, there are estimated to be 37,000 breeding pairs.
As a result, they have been listed in the ‘amber’ category on the Birds of Conservation Concern list.
This grading suggests that while the species is not in immediate danger, its population needs to be monitored.
To spot a grey wagtail, nature enthusiasts and bird watchers should look for fast-flowing rivers and streams.
However, populations in riverine areas have shown a slow decline.
As with other forms of wagtails, they tend to move their tails from left to right and are also prone to a unique flying pattern, which is to fly low in a bobbing manner.
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It is possible to spot one in your garden, but it is likely to have been drawn in by a water feature or stream.
According to the RSPB, your best chance of attracting a wagtail is to start digging a pond.
The bird mostly eats aquatic-type insects and invertebrates as well other creatures found in and around rivers and include flies, beetles, crustacea and molluscs.
During the winter months, the bird can be affected by freezing conditions and can migrate to warmer climates further south, reaching as far as North Africa.
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