BIRDWATCHERS flocked to the Ystwyth Valley over the weekend after a Trawscoed garden had an exotic visitor.

A female Hoopoe was spotted on Saturday morning feeding in Kris and Les Fry's garden in Trawscoed.

The couple posted the find to Facebook and over the weekend, twitchers from far and wide came to view the exotic bird, rarely seen in west Wales, from the couple's home, a safe distance away from the bird.

The couple who are keen astronomers, said: "Normally we're imaging stars, but this was certainly a star of the feathered kind!

"Local birders visiting us to view it thought it was a female Hoopoe.

"She spent all day feeding, snoozing, and preening in our garden.

We made quite a few bird enthusiasts' days by letting them come to our home to safely view her in the back garden without any disturbance."

Hoopoes are colourful birds found across Africa, Asia, and Europe, notable for their distinctive "crown" of feathers.