Calling all you bird experts!

[AlphaZeroOne]

My brother in law knows absolutely nothing about British birds - wouldn't even be able to identify a Great Tit or Blue Tit. He works on a high security MoD munitions depot in Worcestershire. Now and again he will tell me about a 'strange bird' that he has noticed during the week. This doesn't happen very frequently and the last time he mentioned something it turned out to be an owl bird scarer on a roof.

However, this weekend he told me of a 'weird looking' bird that he had seen during last week. He described it to me and he was right - it did sound very strange. But his description had me reaching for my bird guide. I went straight for the bird that I thought he was describing and sure enough, he immediately picked it out in the book. The bird that he is certain that he saw was a Hoope! Now, again let me remind you that he knows absolutely nothing about birds and has no interest in birds (I will try to work on that) but he is absolutely certain that this is what he saw (he doesn't even understand how unlikely it is to see this).

I didn't see the bird and, because of the security regulations, no cameras are allowed on site. The question is, is it at all possible that what he saw was a Hoope? I have only seen one in Northern Germany, years ago and once in the Shetland. What do you experts think?

[Astra]

Hoopoes tend to be summer visitors, and should be sunning themselves in Africa at the moment.

Maybe he saw a Jay?

[AlphaZeroOne]

Hi Astra

I quizzed him on a Jay but he was very excited about this bird 'with a long crest thing on its head and a long curved beak'. I very much doubt that it was a Hoopoe for the very reasons you give but ... given that he knows nothing about birds, he was very clear about what he saw! We will never know.

[Jason Green]

Afternoon A01,

Originally Posted by Astra

Maybe he saw a Jay?

...would be my thoughts too. A shame a photo is out of the question. Jay would be most likely IMO.

Take care,

Jason

[diggleken]

Very unlikely as a Hoopoe, BUT, they have been seen in the UK in Nov and Dec, so not out of the question.
That description of crest and bill is quite clear, but what about plumage - it should have been quite striking too if he saw those so clearly?
Have you checked with local bird groups or county recorder to see if they have anything seen?
Cheers
Ken

[AlphaZeroOne]

Originally Posted by diggleken

Very unlikely as a Hoopoe, BUT, they have been seen in the UK in Nov and Dec, so not out of the question.
That description of crest and bill is quite clear, but what about plumage - it should have been quite striking too if he saw those so clearly?
Have you checked with local bird groups or county recorder to see if they have anything seen?
Cheers
Ken

Hi Ken - and this is the weird thing - he was very clear that the plumage was black and white. In fact, thinking about it he words to me were 'What kind of bird has black and white feathers, a bit like a magpie, but with feathers sticking up off its head and a long curved bill" - his words not mine>

I haven't checked with local bird groups; I thought I would try here first to see if there had been any reports of accidentals. It appears that the odd bird have been seen every month of the year in the UK - I saw one myself in early March in the Shetland some years back. I'm not calling this as a sighting. I have just sent him photos of both a Jay and a Hoopoe again and he seems certain that its the later that he saw. Who knows. I will check out the local birders. Thanks for your response.

[solus]

Originally Posted by AlphaZeroOne

... he was very clear that the plumage was black and white. In fact, thinking about it he words to me were 'What kind of bird has black and white feathers, a bit like a magpie, but with feathers sticking up off its head and a long curved bill" - his words not mine.

Great Spotted Woodpecker? To me that would be a more likely candidate than Hoopoe, particularly if he just said black and white. The Hoopoes I have seen (admittedly no more than 2 or 3!) have been black and white and with distinctly pink (pinky-buff) head and upper body which I would have thought would be pretty noticeable.


Where was the bird when he saw it? On the ground, in a tree?

Another perhaps even more likely candidate - a Lapwing would have a crest and the bill would more or less fit the er.. bill() and in dull light it may appear black and white, even more so in flight.

OK, I know neither looks much like a Hoopoe but it is possibly the observer has by now convinced himself from looking at photos that was what he saw, rather than having reconsidered exactly what he saw - not easy to recall detail especially from a few days back when you are unfamiliar with birds at all!

[diggleken]

Solus speaks sensible words.
Lapwing have a nice white rump area patch, so for an inexperienced observer, black and white can ring true.
its so easy to convince yourself..................................
Shame, but more evidence needed I think to satisfy what are (rightly) a doubting bunch like birders? But , again, you never can be too sure with birds!
Cheers
Ken

[Melus]

Originally Posted by diggleken

Very unlikely as a Hoopoe, BUT, they have been seen in the UK in Nov and Dec, so not out of the question.
That description of crest and bill is quite clear, but what about plumage - it should have been quite striking too if he saw those so clearly?
Have you checked with local bird groups or county recorder to see if they have anything seen?
Cheers
Ken

Hoopoe is a possibility
I remember a Hoopoe on a Notts building site during winter in the early 90's. It was well twitched for a week or two before being found dead in an emaciated condition having sucumbed to the cold weather.


Regards
Gary

[AlphaZeroOne]

Thanks to all for your responses. I guess we will never know for sure and I am not making any claim. When he mentioned it I first showed him a Hood Crow (just checked him out - too far south) and then a Jay. I have to admit that I didn't think of a Lapwing but as soon as I showed him a Hoopoe he was certain that that was what he saw.

What ever he saw was on the ground feeding, seemed to be disturbing the leaf litter with a sweeping motion. It could be a Lapwing, thinking about it and I will show him a photograph. He was very clear though that the bill was much longer (and curved) then the 'crest' - in his words, 'long feathers sticking up' I will ask him to keep a look out this week and take notes if he sees it again!

Cheers