Home Sweet Home And A Cuckoo Fest

I returned to the patch today for the first time in well over a month, actually, nearer to two. My absence is explained (but not excused) by a hectic period featuring countless exams, birthdays, cricket matches etc. So it was in high hopes that I went out today - I was hoping WALBOC would remind me of what I had missed. My plans didn't quite materialise. Aaron picked me up early and we went to Partridge Field where he said I'd be granted my best ever views of Cuckoo. He was right. A male was sitting in the middle of the bare ground. It just sat there for about 15 minutes until it was disturbed and flew a couple of metres before coming back down. I watched it through the scope, getting unbeievable views of this brilliant bird for about half an hour before going back home. I checked the field three more times throughout the day and the Cuckoo was present throughout all of them. I also enjoyed a few RLPs, a Peregrine and a couple of Hobbies over as well as a different Cuckoo, a very good return. The Cuckoo's behaviour puzzled me however. Perhaps it isn't that unusual and I have just not encountered it before but it simply sat in the middle of open, stony ground completely happy for huge periods of time. It had been doing this since Friday and had had the occasional dustbath. Not seen this before.

Full scan of the patch awaits.