Last week I took Steven out for a mornings birding, he was on holiday in Nerja and had contacted me to hopefully see some Bee-eaters and Hoopoe's in the area. I knew where the bee-eaters are nesting
so that was not a problem and generally one would nearly always see a hoopoe fly across the fields. I collected him at 9.00 and we set off. Steven is a keen birder and wildlife artist, producing some remarkable paintings of birds he has photographed. I took him to a place I knew for a certain had hoopoe's and before long we were watching them flying about. We noticed in one particular tree in the distance there was a lot of activity. As we made our way quietly we figured a nest may be near. We were able to hide near a old rustic wall and gladly I brought the camoflage sheeting with me so we set up our tripods and cameras and waited, covered by the camo. Not wanting to get too near the nest we just waited and hoped for the best. Not too long a hoopee flew onto the 
trunk of the tree like a woodpecker would do and within a flash entered a small hole in the tree. Amazing, i had not ever seen this before. Then a minute later he peep his head out and flew from the tree. Steven got some shots of all the action and was well chuffed. We packed away and set off to the bee-eaters. On the way Steven saw another new bird not seen before, a Blue rock thrush, there he was on another wall as we drove 
away. A couple of days later I returned to the nest and was able to get some photos myself, although I still am looking to photograph a hoopoe in flight...something that is proving very difficult! Birdlist: Hoopoe, Bee-eater, Thekla lark, Blue rock thrush, Kestrel, Swift, House martin, Swallow, Goldfinch, Greenfinch.
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