Cuckoo

Macdarack · 26-04-2021 10:31pm #1

Dould cuckoo heard and seen today, got some good videos of them. 2 cuckoos in fact.

fryup · 27-04-2021 8:51am

never ever seen one in the flesh

hirondelle · 27-04-2021 1:24pm

fryup wrote: »

never ever seen one in the flesh

When in flight, to me, they look like slightly slow kestrels, so double check any kestrels you see!

axe2grind · 27-04-2021 1:35pm

Heard my first of year this morning, Co. Wicklow.

Graces7 · 27-04-2021 2:48pm

axe2grind wrote: »

Heard my first of year this morning, Co. Wicklow.

Yesterday heard one out here in offshore west mayo

And yes I have seen cuckoos. when I lived in Leitrim with lots of trees, I watched the sparrows and small birds attacking a cuckoo every time it came near. Wonderful.

27-04-2021 2:53pm

I heard one while cycling back roads South of Clonmel this morning.

OpenYourEyes · 27-04-2021 9:25pm

Worth taking a few seconds to log your first Cuckoo sighting (or, eh, hearing..) of the year at this link: http://www.springalive.net/en-ie/migrations/addnew

Birdnuts · 28-04-2021 12:01am

hirondelle wrote: »

When in flight, to me, they look like slightly slow kestrels, so double check any kestrels you see!

Look more like a hawk to me in terms of shape and colouring. Got good views in a Kildare bog a few years ago of a rare "Rufus" colour phase individual.

axe2grind · 28-04-2021 9:54am

OpenYourEyes wrote: »

Worth taking a few seconds to log your first Cuckoo sighting (or, eh, hearing..) of the year at this link: http://www.springalive.net/en-ie/migrations/addnew

Does this feed into BiodiversityIreland database?

hirondelle · 28-04-2021 9:57am

Birdnuts wrote: »

Look more like a hawk to me in terms of shape and colouring. Got good views in a Kildare bog a few years ago of a rare "Rufus" colour phase individual.

Yes, that is accurate. I suppose I think of what looks like an "extended" tail in flight and that is what I notice first. Had to look up the rufous reference- wow, every day is a school day!

OpenYourEyes · 28-04-2021 3:50pm

axe2grind wrote: »

Does this feed into BiodiversityIreland database?

Off the top of my head I'm not sure, but a lot of BirdWatch Ireland data is, so if it's not already shared with Biodiversity Ireland on a regular basis, I'm sure it could be if they request it!

gzoladz · 29-04-2021 2:47pm

Got 3 in Kildare on Sunday. I went specifically to look for them as I did not get to see/hear them last year due to the restrictions. They never sounded as much as freedom before!

Logged already.

SnowyMuckish · 29-04-2021 9:11pm

Heard the first cuckoo here in the NW this evening. Summer’s on its way!

DBB · 30-04-2021 4:33pm

Heard my first cuckoo of 2021 a short while ago along the Royal Canal outside Kinnegad, Co. Westmeath. That's made my day

Graces7 · 08-05-2021 11:54am

The cuckoo is calling just outside the window.

This is unusual. But lovely!

Usually it calls from further west where there are trees.

flyingsnail · 10-05-2021 3:04pm

I saw two, and possible a third at Gallows Hill, Clare today.

lolie · 13-05-2021 12:17pm

I heard 2 male cuckoos either side of bogland over near Coole Westmeath yesterday evening.

fryup · 13-05-2021 11:24pm

is it only the male that calls?

lolie · 13-05-2021 11:39pm

fryup wrote: »

is it only the male that calls?

Only the male makes the Cuckoo sound, go to 1.40 in the video for the female call.
I've probably heard it before but never noticed it.

26-05-2021 5:37pm

heard one close to Hollywood in Wicklow this morning, and one further on near Laragh, been many years since I heard one, was great to hear them, although I could not spot them at all.

hirondelle · 27-05-2021 10:36am

I was lucky enough to see one at the weekend- on some abandoned cutover bog. It was perching on young Scots Pine, scanning about and then dropping down quickly then flying back up to the same tree, with rather large caterpillars each time. Really precise hunting, and it systematically went from tree to tree over about 20 minutes. Fascinating to see it at work and the technique reminded me of Spotted Flycatchers . It was a male.

OpenYourEyes · 29-05-2021 10:59am

I had given up on seeing or hearing one this year as I haven't had a chance to visit any 'typical' habitat for them in recent weeks. And then yesterday I saw not one, but two! On Bull Island in Dublin of all places! Certainly not ideal habitat, but plenty of Meadow Pipits, which are their main host species in Ireland.

SouthWesterly · 02-06-2021 7:07pm

Heard one again during the week.

Cuckoo

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