MINEHEAD and West Somerset Golf Club members have been sharing the 15th green for the past two weeks with a rare visitor which has brought bird-watchers flocking to the area – a thrush-sized migrating hoopoe seldom seen in the UK.

“Less than 100 arrive each year, often blown off-course on their journey from Europe to Africa in the spring and autumn and they are incredibly special,” said Somerset Ornithological Society member Chris Horsfield, who photographed the exotic crested bird with its spectacular black, white and pinkish-brown plumage.

Hoopoes usually visit the UK in the spring and rarely in autumn or winter. Only 20 have bred in the UK in the past 200 years, but they are widespread in Asia, southern Europe and Africa.

“It didn’t seem bothered by humans,” Chris said. “It spent most of its time on the golf course and players would shout to us when it was heading our way. It was the first time most of us had actually seen a hoopoe.”

A golf club spokesman said: “A member came in to tell us what he had seen and when we looked it up it proved to be a hoopoe. It became quite an attraction on the course.”

The hoopoe has not been seen since last Saturday: “Let’s hope it enjoyed its stay in Minehead and will be back,” Chris said.