Wednesday 9 April 2014

Hoopoe at Snodland

Having picked up a Blackcap at Lee Valley on Sunday afternoon for tick 177 I moved the year list on again today by catching up with the over wintering Hoopoe at Snodland in Kent.

Hoopoe at Snodland in Kent 
I had two work meetings in the Brands Hatch area so thought it would be rude not to give the bird a go. I parked up in the Golf Club car park and walked the length of the first hole along the tree line to the right of the car park. Turning right at the end I headed through a small orchard to the sand pit where the bird has been seen on occasion. With no joy here I headed back down the lane to check the gardens and paddocks behind the vets office. I then checked the small footpath behind the barn and was about to give up when I saw another public footpath sign taking me up behind the farm. I thought I'd bump into somebody else with it being half term and all that but in my search for the target I didn't encounter a single birder but I kept left intent on checking the garden and after a short walk I found a small track through the bramble that looked to have seen some recent traffic so gave it a try. As I reached the fence of the farms garden I scanned away from the farm towards to top of the garden and BINGO...HOOPOE feeding under the trees. I watched it for a while and even grabbed a few distant shots before heading back to work with tick 178 for 2014 in the bag.

Hoopoe
Hoopoe

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