A Hoopoe at Pagham!!

 It is common knowledge by now that there has been an influx of Hoopoes to the UK this Spring but a sighting on my local patch was a tremendous surprise.  A Whatsapp shout of a sighting was received when food shopping in Bognor so......this was a 'must' see!!

Initially showing at a distance in a field behind the North Wall stables but not easy to see in the long grass.

Not one but two birds but both difficult to see!

One of them took flight and flew west behind a line of trees out of sight. A few minutes later and the other took off and flew east behind the path behind the now gathering admirers. As we approached its approximate whereabouts it started calling and we could have been in Mallorca or  the south of Spain...a wonderful Mediterranean  'hoop,hoop' sound!  It was well hidden amongst the higher branches when it was spotted at the far side of a tree.  Not only was it was partially hidden by the branches it was back lit so photographing it was tricky.

Then this bird took flight and headed for the big tree in Little Welbourne

A great bird to see and hear!!!!

Least Sandpiper success

 A diminutive wader, a Least Sandpiper, was reported at the end of last week at RSPB Medmerry but due to numerous commitments I was unable to get there. On Tuesday this week I was at last able to find time to track it down. As I approached the Stilt Pool where it had been seen the previous day I met two visiting birders  who pointed out four birders who I could see very distantly crouched down by the breech a long way off along the beach. I set off clambering over the huge protective rock groyne and made haste but as I approached, the four birders got up and disappeared from sight.  Another birder made his way towards me only to say that the bird had flown and in his view had probably returned to the Stilt Pool, one of its favoured spot. About turn therefore and a long trudge back. A total blank. I'd dipped, as they say!!!

However there was a report of a Hoopoe on the reserve somewhere but it was proving elusive. Suddenly a shout went up on Whats app...found it! To my delight I was heading in the right direction and located the bird in tall grass and vegetation but regrettably photography was difficult and I failed to get a shot. A great bird to see!

However the Yellowhammers were a joy to see and a non birder came and watched for a while and remarked he'd never seen one before and could hardly believe it was a British breeding bird...it was looking brilliant in the sunshine!

...and a female Black Redstart appeared just before I returned to the car park. So all was not lost!!

So today I decided to have another go for the Sandpiper and hey presto I located it in splendid isolation on the main pool. I had the bird all to myself until I was joined by several other birders during the nest hour or so.

Initially, quite distant.

....but it did come a little closer and the sun lit it up rather well...I was pleased!

A splendid lifer!