Hoopoe

Upupa epops.

This handsome hoopoe has been probing the lawns of a small part of Stamford Bridge (6 or 7 miles from Bishop Wilton) all week since it was first noticed.  Hoopoes don't breed in Britain, and they are more frequently seen here in Spring when they overshoot their breeding grounds as they migrate north from Africa.  Autumn birds are less frequent, and may be the result of reverse migration, which means heading north instead of south.  Who knows how long it will stay, and whether it will eventually realise it's not where it should be?  Whatever, it was finding plenty to eat on this garden lawn, which seemed to be mainly moth caterpillars that it was finding in the soil.

I'd never seen one in Britain before, being more familiar with them in Spain and southern France where in suitable habitat they are frequently seen - or heard if you get your ear in for the onomatopoeic call.  So, having resisted the twitching call all week, I cracked this afternoon and Wifie and I went to see if we could find it.  The first clue on a twitch is to find the people with scopes and big camera lenses.  This we easily did, though we arrived 5 minutes after it had flown off... but then it reappeared behind us on the same lawn a few minutes later.  And I duly notched up a new species for my British list.  And a bird that is completely unmistakable.  We weren't treated to a view of it raising its crown feathers, but we were both still delighted to see it.

A good day in every respect.