My daughter has just come back from a weekend at Worth Maltravers (Dorset) and is pretty sure she saw a Hoopoe, it even flicked up its crest, this must be unusual for this time of year? Dan
The lucky girl Dan,I've only seen them in books,I'd have thought it was quite rare to see them now but then again it has been quite mild up to now
We have seen them in France and there are usually reports of the odd one heading over to the UK in the winter months so it could well have been one your daughter saw in Dorset Dan. We had one in our county here in the Midlands last year but only certain people were allowed by the farmer to go onto his land to view it and take photos.I think one of theele was the county recorder so I only saw the photos of it put onto his sightings page Good spot though and once it is known about Dorset will be full of twitchers
As Kandy says,they can be an irratic migrant and can turn up early or late and it is not unusual to see the odd one here now. Last one reported in Dorset this month was at Portland 18th/20th but not every bird arriving here will be seen so yours may be the same one moving around or a completly different bird. Seacombe Bottom valley and Winspit are very well known areas for watching migrants, and it is where I go frequently from Worth Matravers village. I've not seen one here (I always seem to miss them) but often in Mallorca and Cyprus, This is one in Amboseli lodge gardens year before last, it is the resident African Hoopoe but very similar to the Eurasian one, just a little darker and more black on the wings.
Our friends have them nesting in one of the trees in their garden, but they have a lot of lawn and scrubland around them and I understand that is one of their 'likes'. We don't see them at our house as we are just surrounded by thousands of fruit trees ... which the Little Owls like along with Chiff Chaffs. We also have the beautiful Azure Winged Magpies in the area.
I have seen them in Grand Caneria , look amazing like a very trendy blackbird with this years latest fashion look
One was seen today at Durlston Country Park (Swanage) and Winspit which is very near Worth Matravers so it could be the same bird as your sister saw depending on how long ago she was there.
