When I was working ghastly shifts at Sky News I spent my life chasing sleep, and thus used blackout curtains… now a happy retiree in Tuscany I leave my curtains and shutters open so that I wake to the light. The other morning I was greeted with the wonderful sight of a Hoopoe bird ducking and bobbing on my windowsill. I first read about Hoopoes in a Leon Uris book (Exodus maybe?), and always thought of them as from Africa, so it was so special to see one here.
After a few days it became obvious that he/she was servicing a nest in a hole in the wall of the old house opposite. A few days later on the main road I saw the sad remains of a dead hoopoe and was surprised at how really upset I felt. Imagine my pleasure when, a few days later, I saw my hoopoe still happily stuffing food into the hole in the wall. I don’t know what kind of bird I saw on the tarmac… but my hoopoe is still safe and sound.
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