Hoopoe: Hinxworth, Hertfordshire

After yesterday's trip to Norfolk, we made arrangements to travel to Hinxworth in Hertfordshire if yesterday's Hoopoe was again reported today. We didn't have to wait very long as the bird was reported as present at 7.16am. 

We left at 10am and arrived outside the church grounds an hour later. As we walked through the church we added to the donation box at the gate and continued along the footpath to view the third of three small horse paddocks. The Hoopoe was busily feeding among the short-cut grass. We watched it for several minutes before it suddenly flew up into the conifers bordering the paddock. It soon returned to feed again, but was quite mobile and would fly to a different paddock each time. 

We spent three enjoyable hours watching and sometimes trying to relocate the bird, but it always remained distant for photographs. 

St Nicholas Church

The paddocks 

Bee-eaters: Trimingham, Norfolk

Four Bee-eaters were first reported at Trimingham in Norfolk on the 5th of June, but my interest increased when seven were reported as nesting in a quarry off Gimingham Road on the 16th.

Trimingham is located twenty miles north of Norwich and five miles East of Cromer on the North Norfolk coast.

The RSPB had set up a viewing area overlooking a small quarry where the birds were said to be nesting. We waited a few days before making the trip hoping the crowds would have dropped in numbers, We left at 5am and arrived at the field being used as a temporary car park around 7.30am. After paying the £5 entrance fee we walked the short distance to the viewing area.

As we reached the viewing area we could see five birds perched on the telegraph wires. They would regularly fly out to catch several species of insects, Bees, wasps, butterflies, and dragonflies were all caught and quickly dispatched.

We watched several attempts at mating and at least three birds entering one of the nest entrances. We were told by a volunteer that they believe there are at least eight birds present, with one bird missing a large section of one of its wings. 

A very enjoyable morning watching the Bee-eaters with a constant stream of visitors arriving throughout our visit. The RSPB volunteers were doing a superb job, happy to let people without scopes look through several already set up under the temporary canopy.

The viewing area

The quarry 

Mating taking place