THE RSPB and other bird conservationists in Dorset are appealing for people’s help to find pied wagtail roosts in the county.

The call comes as a way of discovering more about the birds so that they can be better protected.

The pied wagtail is a small, sociable black and white bird with a long tail which it constantly wags up and down.

It’s a familiar sight in our towns and cities in winter where it takes shelter from the colder nights in the countryside.

As seen on the BBC’s Autumnwatch programme last year, one large roost has already been identified in Weymouth with up to several hundred birds.

“We also know of roosts in Dorchester, Portland and Bournemouth,” said RSPB Weymouth Wetlands reserve manager Nick Tomlinson, “but if anyone thinks they’ve found a new one, please don’t approach or disturb the birds but let us know where the site is.”

He added: “If you look out as the light fades towards dusk you can see them gathering together ready to head for the warmth and safety of their roosts.

“You can also listen out for their distinctive two-tone flight call which sounds like they’re saying ‘chiswick, chiswick’.”

The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) would also appreciate help from people in spotting wagtails with coloured rings on their legs.

The BTO’s ringing programme started four years ago at a number of sites along the south coast, including Slapton in Devon and Weymouth and Abbotsbury in Dorset.

This is because some of the birds use the south coast as an important stopping-off point in their migration from breeding grounds as far north as Iceland, en route to as far as western Africa where they spend the winter months before heading north again in early spring.

Other birds, particularly many of those ringed in Weymouth, spend the winter here after breeding in colder climes, possibly in Scotland.

The project is keen to find out how these ‘British’ birds use their roosts at this time of year.

“The more help we can get from members of the public in reporting roosts and ringed wagtails, the better picture we can build up of these birds’ movements,” said Nick. “Understanding more about them means we can all work more effectively to protect habitats along their migration routes.”

Steve Hales is one of the local licensed BTO ringers who volunteers on the project. He said: “Fewer than one in 100 ringed birds are ever seen again so putting coloured rings on their legs increases the chances of them being spotted.”

Nick added: “Ideally, we’re asking people to note which leg – left or right – has rings and what colours those rings are.

You don’t need binoculars to do this and it helps us to identify individual birds. If you can take pictures of the birds and their rings, that is even better. ”

You can report possible roost sites to the RSPB by phone on 01305 773519 or by email to nick.tomlinson@rspb.org.uk or luke.phillips@rspb.org.uk. You can also report sightings of ringed wagtails or take your photos into the Weymouth Wetlands visitor centre at Radipole Lake in the Swannery car park, Weymouth, and staff there will pass the information on to the British Trust for Ornithology.