Photos of birds in unusual places

Starlings nesting in pipes © James offer

You don't often see woodcocks in broad daylight but Steve found one on a garden lawn.

Woodcock © Steve Greaves

There's a certain feeling of breaking the fourth wall with these two photos below. A nice bit of back story to Alan's photo is that he's been following this kingfisher since she fledged.

Kingfisher on camera © Alan Willis

Coal tit © Christine Hall

Slightly disconcerting is this photo of a smew under ice. But, Daz Moston assures us, the smew popped back up to the surface perfectly safe and sound 40 seconds later.

Smew © Daz Moston

Wrong time, wrong place. Mike McCarthy took this photo of a glossy ibis in Wales on 3 December. "It should have been in southern Spain or Africa," he says. "A bird was sighted flying south over Somerset the next day so hopefully it was eventually on its way south and will survive the journey and the winter."

Glossy ibis © Mike McCarthy

If you see a hoopoe in the UK (and there's only about 100 at any one time) it's likely to be in spring. Not in Dorset in December. Although as Child of Herne later pointed out on the blog, a few years ago there was one spotted in Gosport in January.

Hooboe © Val Smith

Lastly, it looks like this greylag would have been in an unusual place were it not for the sentry at the door...

Greylag goose and dog ©Dominique Walterson

Thanks to all those who took part in this challenge. You can see more of the photos here. Next up, photos of nocturnal animals in the day. If you've got any I'd love to hear about them. Post a comment below or let me know on our Flickr group.

The Curious Owl, a sideways look at British nature.