Hoop, hoop–oeray!
This fine fellow flashed through my sightline at lunch with our friends George and Hilary today.
In mid-conversation I caught a glimpse of the headdress outside the window at the back of the house and it was gone before I could say: “There’s a hoopoe!”
Nobody would have believed me, anyway.
Hoopoes are well known for their shyness and we have never seen one near the house.
On the tarmac outside and once in the garden, rising vertically like a helicopter to the nearest tree branch but–my word–never this close!
Back from tropics, it’s their time of year and it always thrills me to see them again.
Then Meredith says, with an intake of breath from the opposite end of the table: “Look! Look! There’s a hoopoe at the window, trying to get in!”
I turn slowly and face the courtyard.
There is this exotic creature hovering at the window–appearing to knock on the pane with its long beak–“let me in, let me in!”
Where’s the camera? Can you try? Oh my word!
Meredith finds the camera and gingerly opens the front door. The flustered creature, now at another door, obligingly turns its head and stays put long enough for Meredith to capture this shot.
Why was he/she trying to get inside?
Will it be back tomorrow?
On verra!
What a beautiful bird!
How beautiful, how exotic, and how lucky to capture the shot.
What wonderful pictures , so lucky to be able to take a picture before it flew off…I have only seen one a couple of years ago flying over the garden ….you are so lucky to have seen it….and what a clever photographer 🙂
What a treat indeed! Nice pics Meredith!!
Wow! That’s one beautiful bird! What DO they eat? Maybe it heard of your culinary prowess?
Don’t think we get hoopoes in Florida–who is the painter in your house? Noticed the painting on the wall–friend in florida
whoa, what a capture Meredith, it’s fabulous! I have been sitting on my back porch swing 2 hours today trying to get a shot of a hummingbird arg!
What a lovely surprise. That is a beautiful bird.
Wow! We have a lot of pretty and interesting birds at feeders all around our yard, but nothing this exotic looking. Beautiful!
Been on my Bucket List to see since I got my first Observer’s Book of British Birds in the ’50s when I was in Grammar School in Oxon. Fantastic shots, Meredith!
Well done for capturing such a beautiful image,Meredith…..so exciting to see this bird up close !
Dear Robin & Meredith, Ahhh c’est manifique !! Serious good done Meredith a real beauty that bird.Love the stories and pictures very much.Puske Puske is not feeling good (eating problems again) vet just came and gave injections.. I hope it solves it, hope.Hughs to all, Puske Puske & Chantal.
He/She wanted lunch of course.
probably thought it was another hoopoe reflected in the window
Greetings, Robin and Meredith, on this beautiful Earth Day back here in the US. How fitting to see this magnificent creature at your window on Earth Day. Despite a reputation for shyness if I were that bird I would be trying to get into your dining room to enjoy the aroma of the magnificent food and listen in on the conversation. Such a warm and convivial setting reminds me of how Monet spent his days in France enjoying long lunches in the company of friends. I am sure you and your beautiful wife have been to Giverny to see his enchanting home. If you haven’t I highly recommend it for an outing. We’ve gone the past two summers with our kids. Living with diabetes can be such a drain on one’s spirit as you know, but celebrating life and sharing beautiful meals with friends is the antidote. It’s our mantra for a happy life and I suspect it’s yours.
Warm regards from Bucks County, Pennsylvania
Tara, Ed, Jack (age 12, type 1 diabetic) and William (age 7)
What an unusual and magnificent bird. What a long beak! And he leaves France in winter too. We’ve here many splendid native birds but I don’t think we have hoop-oes… Well done, Meredith! Thank you for sharing.
What a gorgeous bird!! And great shot!! Perfect profile with that long beak!
I had the chance to see a vixen (fox) last year, hollering her head off…We often hear foxes (and sometimes coyotes) in the fields & woods’ edge right up the road from us, but this one was really close, apparently calling her pups, who were probably getting old enough to wander off a bit. She stood about 30 feet from our stone wall behind the house & just screamed and screamed for them for the longest time–an eerie sound, let me tell you; screaming like a startled woman! It was too dim through the trees to get a good picture, but really neat that she ventured so close to the yard. She hung around awhile, then wandered off. We heard them all yelping together again on subsequent nights, back up near the fields. So hopefully all was well.
Is it related to a woodpecker?
glorious! we had considered ourselves lucky to see a heron fishing at home in Kent.
must move to France!
saw one in Gran Canaria……lovely!
How absolutely fabulous. Wonderful shot and hope he’s back tomorrow. Perhaps looking to nest in your grounds? We’re moving to France and your area is giving us food for thought!
Wow, what a fantastic photo. A rare sighting indeed, lucky you.
I think he likes to be famous, so this is the address!
Robin. Meredith what a beautiful photo of a beautiful bird you lucky people good food good company and a very interesting on looked.
What luck to capture a picture of this beautiful, unusual bird. Great job Meredith.
glorious,, thought we did well to spot a heron fishing in Kent on Sunday afternoon.
Must move to France!
What a wonderful photo of a beautiful bird. I’ve never seen one before. I was thrilled that we have two Greenfinches in our garden, thats about as exotic as we get here !! (A
t least I think that’s what they are!)
Fantastic photos and post. The hoopoe is so beautiful!!! I think Malcolm is right previous comment) – the bird was seeing his/her reflection in the glass and thought it another hoopoe. Thanks for sharing this with us.
I’m impressed that you and Meredith identified it so easily. Never heard of or saw one before. Great shot Meredith!
Great picture Meredith! I wonder if the bird was pecking the window because it saw it’s reflection.