Visited here yesterday to see the Hoopoe but sadlyIdipped.Other birds seen we re as follows Jackdaw Black 1Headed Gull Herring Gull Cormorant Great Crested Grebe Mallard Woodpigeon Shoveler Teal Raven Little Egret Greylag Goose Rook Common Buzzard Shelduck Whooper Swan Carrion Crow
The Hoopoe showed well but generally kept its distance after a short wait but was quite mobile flying back and forth across the reservoir a few times. A UK lifer for me.
-- Edited by Steven Nelson on Monday 14th of October 2024 10:08:06 PM
I got very distant views of it last Saturday. 3rd attempt at seeing a Hoopoe and 3rd time lucky. One of the few scarcities that can turn up even at inland locations regularly.
Having business in Preston and a visit to Grimsargh wetlands (maintenance work had flushed a lot of species) yesterday I took a slight divert to go and see the Hoopoe at Lower Foulridge Reservoir.
Cracking little bird (always smaller than I expect them to be). One of those strange "twitches" where obviously I knew roughly to within an few hundred metres where the bird had been for the last week, but was still getting that "nice clear night, not reported on bird services has it flown" stomach pit.
I carefully and diligently worked my way along the path checking the verge and shore as I went. There was a maintenance team on site here to and I was starting to get to the North end (I came in from the South and saw nary another birder) and thinking I'd missed the bird and it had moved off and as I came out the end of the short wooden boardwalk to the next open view of the shore..................
..................boom.....................
...........nine or ten toggers on the Shore verge and it was 100% obvious where the bird was from their lens directions. So ziltch sense of satisfaction in finding the bird meself. Ho-hum. Still cracker and worth the extra miles on the way home for it.
