Hoopoe

[wildman 663]

Can believe it been a keen bird watcher all my life seen some nice, interesting birds ,never thought I'd see a hoopoe , just spent last hour watching one in my back garden did get a photo on my phone not very good not gonna put it up because it has the farms name on .we don't need thousands of twichers descending on us 

[pesky1972 5,791]

Only ever seen one in 53 years (in the UK)

[NEWKID 29,512]

Seen one in Ibiza when I was 19, getting excited about spotting a bird as a youngster on the piss and pull meant i got a bit of stick off my mate out clubbing later that  night....worth it though lol

Never seen one in the UK, would be made up if I did 

Edited September 27, 2025 by NEWKID

[Bendigo 1,618]

1 hour ago, NEWKID said:

Seen one in Ibiza when I was 19, getting excited about spotting a bird as a youngster on the piss and pull meant i got a bit of stick off my mate out clubbing later that  night....worth it though lol

Never seen one in the UK, would be made up if I did 

I once met a lap dancer who worked on a game farm.....yeah I got a bit of stick off my mates for sitting chatting about pheasants to a bird in a thong .

Seen plenty hoopoe in Spain and some in Tenerife 

[mitre 499]

First time for any thing something unexpected to show up 

[Borr 8,748]

Used to have them regularly in France when my folks had a place there. Hoopoe, black kites , it's definitely a pleasure to see unfamiliar wildlife.

[mackem 31,025]

Never seen one in the UK,seen them in Spain often,striking looking birds.

[jukel123 10,050]

11 hours ago, Borr said:

Used to have them regularly in France when my folks had a place there. Hoopoe, black kites , it's definitely a pleasure to see unfamiliar wildlife.

Yes, I've seen lots in France. I remember one of my kids saying: hey dad, there's a punk mohican bird".

I've seen a pair in Scotland some 40 years back.

Has anybody seen little egrets on their patch? The odd one started to appear about 20 years back, now they are as common as herons along the Solway coast. I counted a gathering of 18 a few months back.

Edited September 28, 2025 by jukel123

[mackem 31,025]

25 minutes ago, jukel123 said:

Has anybody seen little egrets on their patch? 

All the time in the UK even seen them feeding in the same stretch as herons.

[jukel123 10,050]

8 minutes ago, mackem said:

All the time in the UK even seen them feeding in the same stretch as herons.

Their numbers have exploded. They must have found an ecological niche alongside herons. In fact they seem to be thriving more than herons . Similar with collared doves. They were introduced in the fifties and do as least as well as wood pigeons. I quite like their call. Just as nice as woodies.

[tatsblisters 11,265]

8 hours ago, jukel123 said:

Yes, I've seen lots in France. I remember one of my kids saying: hey dad, there's a punk mohican bird".

I've seen a pair in Scotland some 40 years back.

Has anybody seen little egrets on their patch? The odd one started to appear about 20 years back, now they are as common as herons along the Solway coast. I counted a gathering of 18 a few months back.

Seen the odd egret on some local lakes. Never seen an hoopoe in the wild and another bird that must be pretty rare as you never hear about sightings of it the wryneck. 

[steve66 3,941]

Seen a hoopoe at Flamborough a few years back on the local bowling green , lovely looking bird and attracted a large crowd of bird watchers , so i can see why wildman wants the location keeping quite 

[byron 1,282]

Feckin pests around here.lol breeding just agen me..

[mackem 31,025]

12 hours ago, jukel123 said:

Their numbers have exploded. They must have found an ecological niche alongside herons. In fact they seem to be thriving more than herons . 

Cormorants seem to be everywhere nowadays,even far inland,if ever you fly out of Heathrow theres always egrets along the Longford river on the southern perimeter road.

[tatsblisters 11,265]

3 minutes ago, mackem said:

Cormorants seem to be everywhere nowadays,even far inland,if ever you fly out of Heathrow theres always egrets along the Longford river on the southern perimeter road.

Same as goosanders mate they have been spotted on the river Don that runs through Rotherham town.