A few birders are already here & we join them in scanning the horse field for the Hoopoe. It's not a long wait before the bird lands in the middle of the field but with a man feeding the horses it didn't hang about & flies away over our heads behind some trees,we walk up a track & get another flight view,it flies a long way & out of sight.We get a bonus tick when 3 Woodlarks fly over head calling & displaying to give a good show.
We head back to the Paddock & wait it out in the hope it will return. This pays off when the Hoopoe flies back over our heads & lands in the middle of the Paddock & we watch it for the next hour but it stays at a distance.
A local birder tells us of a Spoonbill only 12 miles away at Keyhaven Marsh, not seen one yet this year so off we head where we find a single parking space left at the bottom of Lower Pennington lane. It's just a short walk before we are looking over the first Marsh & the boys get to see the Spoonbill.
I managed to miss the bird as it flies off before I catch up with them .So that means a walk around to the other pool Oxey Marsh where I get my tick as the bird is spotted on the far bank.
On the way back a large flock of Golden Plover are seen along with 5 Ruff 2 looking very white.
A few Snipe along with many Lapwings are seen & then a bonus as we spot a Peregrine Falcon feeding on a Plover on the ground.
A 2 hour trip keeps the year ticks rolling over nicely & we never saw a Hoopoe all last year so well worth the journey .
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| The Hoopoe |
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| Our view across the Paddock the bird is over the back. |
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