Hoopoe (a first for me)

Hi all,
Hope everyones well. Just back from a weeks trip to sunny menorca. Not a birding trip but a nice family holiday.
Walking back from a spot of lunch by the sea and my mother inlaw (bless her) spotted a this beauty and cried out Phil whats that bird! Nice and loudly!!
Camera in hand but only the 18-55 kit lens on, i grabbed a shot with that at 55 and set about changeing the lens to my 80-200 mk 11. Luckily the Hoopoe was looking for grubs and i managed to get another couple of shots.
Could'nt believe my luck, never expected to see one of these.

1 with the 18-55

Congratulations Phil! It's always good when unexpected sitings like this happen.

Big congrats on your first Phil.

I'd never even hear of the bird, great catch Phil

Great catches Phil. Strange looking bird. My shots would have all had giggle blur added if I'd seen this guy.

Thanks for the comments, Stephen, Reyno, Gary and Mitch.

They sure are funny looking birds.
I remember seeing one in a bird book as a kid and thinking boy i wish i could see one in the wild. Dream come true. Only wish i could have got a shot of him showing his crest off.

Oh well you got to take what you can.

Good series. The last shot is my favorite.

Tell your mother in law that we are glad she told you about this bird. As for the bird itself, I have never HEARD of this bird before. Strange looking bird indeed, but I really like shot number two.

Great capture and congrats on the new bird. I like the last crop image the best.

Nice shots of a very cool looking bird, congrats on the sighting and the capture.

Thanks Sindri.

Thanks ospreyphoto, The mother in laws a pretty stange old bird too.

Thanks Dennis.

Thanks downywp.

philc123 wrote in post #3265768
Thanks Sindri.


Thanks ospreyphoto, The mother in laws a pretty stange old bird too.

Man, you better hope she doesn't access this forum! But even if you're excommunicated from that side of the family tree, you've still got some great shots here. What an odd bird! (not your mother-in-law... the bird)

Wow nice find, the excitement of a new one is great. Nice shots.

Always enjoy seeing photos of these birds and would like to see one in the flesh but they are a Eurasian species if i recall. The last crop works for me,,nice!