Whoopee! Hoopoe!

We have a hoopoe! I've seen it twice, both times in the driveway picking through the gravel. 

When I arrived home from work yesterday I noticed the hoopoe. I quietly walked across the driveway so as not to disturb it. Ellie was at the door, watching through the screen, in a tizzy. It had just rained and many birds were taking advantage of the cool temperature and the last few minutes of daylight to forage in the front yard.

By the time I got inside and then thought to grab my camera and go back out, it was gone. Sometimes it's better to just sit and watch, rather than miss the experience entirely while trying to capture it forever on film.

Hoopoes are commonly found throughout Europe, Africa, and Asia. You don't see them in large numbers and their exotic plumage makes people like us, who aren't used to seeing them, think they are rare. Really, they're just new to us. And very cool.

And it's fun to say "hoopoe," pronounced "hoo-poo." You can't say it without smiling.