For one reason or another I have never seen a Hoopoe in Oxfordshire. They are almost annual in occurence in the county but often are present for only a day, not reported until they have gone or are in someone's private garden.
This latter circumstance was the situation at Twyford near Adderbury where one was first noticed feeding on the manicured front lawn of a large house in an upmarket cul de sac yesterday afternoon. With my mind on other matters and therefore distracted I had failed to notice updates sent to my phone on Monday afternoon by Badger and could have kicked myself when I finally saw the news that evening.
By that time it was too late, even though I live at the right end of Oxfordshire - north. I resolved to check for news of the Hoopoe first thing today and if it was reported as still being present I would make the twenty five minute drive to Adderbury straight away.
I checked my phone at 7.30 the next morning and there was an entry from RBA (Rare Bird Alert)
Oxon Hoopoe still north of Adderbury at Twyford west of Margaret Road at Rawlins Close
My heart sank a little as I realised that I would be birding in the close proximity of private houses and gardens. Not my favourite kind of birding or twitching. even though the residents of the houses are usually very obliging and understanding, often showing considerable interest but nevertheless I still feel a sense of unease at invading their privacy
I arrived at Rawlins Close and parked, as instructed, on a road before the close and walked a short distance into Rawlins Close to find three or four birders standing on the path outside one of the large properties, looking further down the close to an area of mown lawn in front of another large house. I was also pleasantly surprised to meet some of my fellow Oxonbirders, Wayne and Dave, so immediately felt more at ease.
It was then a matter of waiting for the Hoopoe to show up on the lawn and whilst doing so I chatted to Wayne who I had not seen in an age and we caught up with each other's lives, as you do. I cannot quite remember how long we waited but it was not too long, maybe forty five minutes before Wayne spotted the distinctive bouncing flight action of the Hoopoe as it flew over the house roofs towards us, its black and white barred wings flickering in the sunlight. It alighted on its favourite lawn, obviously wary and sat still, looking about for danger but we were standing at a sensible distance and it relaxed and commenced vigorously probing the lawn with its long downcurved bill, its ridiculous long crest, barred black and white and sticking out in a point from the back of its head. Brownish pink all over apart from prominently barred, brownish black and white wings, it probed the lawn energetically for a few minutes before it was alarmed by someone or something and flew up onto a nearby roof and then disappeared.
I had my county tick at last and had seen a Hoopoe for the first time in Oxfordshire. A long awaited moment. We waited for it to come back, as this particular lawn seemed to be its favourite and after a long vigil it flew in again and this time remained for a longer spell but still less than ten minutes, before it flew off again but that was enough to satisfy me.
The Hoopoe appeared for a third time, very briefly, at the bottom of the close but I felt, as the morning progressed, it would become busier in the close and the Hoopoe would probably find somewhere less disturbed nearby. I bid my fellow birders farewell and made for Farmoor Reservoir.
There was never a crowd present while I was there, no more than six to nine people and most of us knew each other. The residents also stopped to chat to us and ask about the bird, even the local postman was curious. It was that kind of relaxed local twitch and despite my misgivings about birding in the confines of a private and, in this case, rather upmarket housing estate, I quite enjoyed it
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