First we tried a netting session for the first time at our new farm project. We had a decent if not spectacular catch, including several Garden Warblers and Blackcaps--but undoubtedly the star bird of the morning was this beauty!!:-
Many people will not recognise this bird because it's one that is more often heard than seen--it's a Cuckoo. And what a fabulous beast it is. They are larger than many people think, and in this picture you can certainly see the relatively long tail which gives it the look of a bird of prey when in flight. The next picture is a close up of the bird's head:-
The bright yellow eye ring is stunning. This is a male bird because it was 'cuckooing' before we caught it--the female produces a completely different bubbling call--which as it happens sends any males nearby into a frenzy to mate with her.
We're not sure which species these birds are targeting to lay in the nests of--there are no Reed Warblers or Meadow Pipits nesting on the farm so they must be looking for Dunnocks--or whatever parent species raised the particular female. These adults will be returning to Africa anytime soon, leaving their offspring to be raised by some foster parents. The youngsters will then set off to Africa on their own.
Yesterday, we arranged the first of three sessions of Willow removal from an important site that certainly doesn't need Willows. Shortly after we arrived I noticed a Reed Bunting shuffling away on the ground doing a 'broken wing' display. I've never seen a Reed Bunting do this ( a display to draw predators away)--probably because I've never seen a Reed Buntings nest in 50+ years I've been birding. It only took a couple of seconds to find the nest--which I'm sure you will agree is truly beautiful:-
It is a superbly constructed cup of grass stems on the ground with an exquisite lining of white hairs--taken from ????. In addition the eggs have a translucent grey background with dark red brown markings. As a kid we did find many Yellowhammer nests which I seem to remember as similar--but our nickname for the Yellowhammer was 'Scribbly'--after the appearance of the eggs. It looks like scribbled markings may be a character of bunting's eggs. we will keep an eye on the nest and hope th chicks fledge.
All together two beautiful birding sights!!
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