Thursday morning, and I’m garding as usual, trying to cope with the rapidly increasing heat of the day. A movement and a flash of colour out of the corner of my eye caught my attention and suddenly there they were. Hoopoe! A pair in fact, perched in a dead tree on the slope above me not ten yards away. Unbelievable. They sat for a few minutes so I just stood and watched, no point running for binoculars or a camera. Pink-buff bodies with black and white wings, crests folded down and unmistakable long, curved beaks. best of all, the calls…yes, they really do go “hoo-poo…hoo-poo”. By far the best views I’ve ever had of these spectacular birds. A brilliant moment and a major addition to the month’s list.
Since the brief sightings I had back in February and March they have been birds I’ve been keen to see again. We’ve done all the right things, taking time to search the olive groves and orchards around the village, but without success. Not today! After a little while they moved on, moth-like on those remarkable broad, black and white wings. Fantastic.
Inspired, I grabbed my camera after finishing work just to watch the terraces quietly and practice my photography. A nice group of Long-tailed Tits were passing through, and pretty soon I’d failed completely to get a shot. The Sardinian Warblers were equally uncooperative. Got some nice images of bare olive branches though. I guess it’s all about “learning curves”. Birdwatching. You’ve got to love it…
