THE CALL OF THE CUCKOO COMES BACK TO THE FARM

 Every Spring we await the arrival of everyone's favourite Summer migrant the Cuckoo. Although this year it's arrival was a tad later than in previous years, it finally arrived just after mid April and waking up to it's repetitive call was a treat to the ears and the soul, it was back.

the cuckoo returns

They seem to like it at the farm as there is plenty of moorland above us where Skylarks and Meadow Pipits nest and also at the farm there's Dunnocks and Tree Pipits, so plenty of host species nests that the Cuckoo can use to lay it's eggs. 

Here's some of the host species that Cuckoo's like to use. 

skylark

meadow pipit

dunnock

tree pipit

The female Cuckoo can lay as many as twelve eggs all scattered about her territory. These eggs hatch a lot sooner than it's host species and the young Cuckoo instinctively pushes either the eggs or chicks out of the nest, so it is the only chick left for it's foster parents to look after.

As soon as breeding is over the adult birds return to their wintering quarters in Africa no later than July, with the young birds once they have left their foster parents following on in September. They find their way to their wintering areas unaided a remarkable example of a birds inborn ability to navigate.

Here's a few more images from this years beautiful bird.

They can sometimes be mistaken for a Sparrowhawk but can be identified by it's heavier appearance pointed wings and it's long graduated tail spotted and tipped with white.

It's great to have them back, for me it just wouldn't be Spring without the sound of the Cuckoo.