THIS beautiful bird is way off course in shivering Dorset. The Hoopoe should now be in balmy southern Europe or Africa.

The off-course Hoopoe landed at Longham Lakes, to the delight of bird lovers and photographers such as Tim Balmer from Poole, who snapped this delightful shot.

This exotic looking bird with its pinkish-brown body, black and white wings, and striking crest, is not an unusual visitor to our coast, but usually turns up in spring as birds overshoot mainland Europe on their way from Africa.

But the Hoopoe, which eats insects and spiders, obviously found enough food to sustain it and keep it in the area for a while.