The Cuckoo was still showing yesterday but not nearly as well on my previous visits. What was interesting was, as I sat waiting and photographing the Whinchats and other birds I was convinced that he wasn't here anymore. I couldn't hear a Cuckoo, in fact it was silent whereas previously I had heard Cuckoos constantly. The BTO tagged Cuckoo programme has shown that one has already moved out of the Country on his way back to Africa, much earlier than previously thought. The small birds were showing amazingly well, Whinchat particularly. There is a pair who's territory is centred on the grass right in front of me and the male is particularly aggressive and chases away all the other small birds if they come to feed on his patch.
Suddenly a Cuckoo was with me, but well after 10. This seems to be his pattern. I heard him close to me on the left and then he came, as before, to his favoured Hawthorn to my right. As he flew past me low above the grass, I had the usual magnificent view. It's also very interesting to note, and this has never been recorded anywhere that I have noticed, that I can always hear him in flight and even if I am not looking in his direction the noise he makes as he flies, a kind of whooshing sound, is very very noticeable. He called just a few times and then fed from the grass as you can see from the shot posted above. He sat, just resting I assume, for quite an extended period and then from my left and his other favoured tree, I heard another Cuckoo call and so did he. I was surprised and he was angry, he flew like a rocket towards the intruder. There was lots of "bubbling" and noise and then presumably with the rival seen off,he came back to my side again. All very interesting.
I need to tell you about the Wheatear male (below). My camouflage was working so well that this bird came and landed literaly a foot from me and stiopped for at least a minute. I could have literally reached out and touched him. He never saw me, a glorious view.
Other great birds included Stonechat.
I have been trying hard to make the most of the in flight opportunities of the birds, but its hard, here is tthe best from this project.
The female........
The male.......
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