A rare hoopoe bird has been spotted in a Norfolk garden, where it stayed for three days. Linda Moederzoon, from Bridgham, described the experience as a 'once in a lifetime' encounter.
'I opened up the blinds and I just could not believe what was in front of me - right by the back door, it was so close,' she said. The bird, known for its distinctive headcrest and striped wings, appeared to have overshot its migratory path from Africa to Europe.
Mrs Moederzoon managed to photograph the hoopoe, which fed on leatherjackets in her garden. 'It was just interested in the leatherjackets in the grass. It was just so hungry and ate leatherjackets all day long,' she said. The bird also rested, took a dust bath, and preened itself.
According to the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), there are only around 120 sightings of hoopoes in the UK each year, making it a 'real treat' for anyone to see one. The RSPB notes that the hoopoe is not native to the UK and does not breed here, typically only appearing when it overshoots its usual European nesting sites.
After the bird departed, Mrs Moederzoon reported the sighting to the BTO in Thetford, delaying reporting to avoid crowds. 'They were quite amazed,' she said. 'The chap there had seen quite a few hoopoes in his time.'
