BS: 12 May, West Sussex (UK), 1st cuckoo

Subject: BS: 12 May, West Sussex (UK), 1st cuckoo
From: Will Fly
Date: 13 May 16 - 05:29 AM

Out and about yesterday afternoon in the lanes by the house - and heard the first cuckoo this year. Anyone else had a hearing?

Subject: RE: BS: 12 May, West Sussex (UK), 1st cuckoo
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 13 May 16 - 08:14 AM

Used to hear lots around here [Cambs]; and even once had joy of watching one sing in our cherry tree 5 yards from my back window: but not for some years now. Cf my thread about how all the rabbits have disappeared from around here over last few years, 'Where Have All The Bunnies Gone?'. It's got to be the Russkies, or the Martians, or the Whovs, who are out to deprive us poor innocent Cantabrigians of our wildlife delights!!

Will report back if do in fact hear one after all.

Bit late arriving this year, BTW, eh Will? Doesn't the old rhyme go: "In April I ope my bill; In May I sing night & day; In June I change my tune; In July I prepare to fly; In August it's go I must". But it's almost mid-May now.

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Subject: RE: BS: 12 May, West Sussex (UK), 1st cuckoo
From: Will Fly
Date: 13 May 16 - 08:48 AM

To be honest, Michael, it's actually slightly earlier than usual this year!

In previous years they normally arrived round our way in the last week of May or first week of June, and I suspect it's because of the seasonal weather - cold snaps and all that - which we've experienced previously. The last few days have been exceptionally warm here - 24C two days ago - and, if that pattern has been repeated over a wider area, it might explain the change.

That, of course, assumes that the weather has anything to do with it! What do I know... At any rate, it's nice to see and hear the little devil again.

Subject: RE: BS: 12 May, West Sussex (UK), 1st cuckoo
From: Will Fly
Date: 13 May 16 - 08:51 AM

Forgot to say - I gather that the cuckoo is on the "Red" list of endangered species. And I know that many here have not seen or heard one for years.

A bit like skylarks - which, luckily, we also hear regularly. I can never listen to "The Lark Ascending" without being transported across the fields to the Downs on a hot, summer's day, with the larks high up in the blue, singing away.

Subject: RE: BS: 12 May, West Sussex (UK), 1st cuckoo
From: Senoufou
Date: 13 May 16 - 09:07 AM

Ha! Tuesday 10th May. (Husband's birthday!) Cuckoo heard quite nearby, just after dawn. (We have a string of small lakes and mini woods in our West Norfolk village) Always brings tears to my eyes, so poignant.
Also, our house-martins are back. Hope there are enough flying insects for them - the warm spell should help.
Saw a large red kite sailing over our house too yesterday.
It's all go here!

Subject: RE: BS: 12 May, West Sussex (UK), 1st cuckoo
From: Senoufou
Date: 13 May 16 - 09:14 AM

Not so good; first nasty-looking huge false widow spider of the season on our bedroom wall, apparently heading down to join me under my duvet, the horrid thing. Husband nobly sprang to my rescue and put it outside. Bet it'll be back soon though.

Subject: RE: BS: 12 May, West Sussex (UK), 1st cuckoo
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 13 May 16 - 10:01 AM

.. bit of a folkie bird related tangent...

magpies.. [love the look of 'em.. one of my favourite birds..}

Recently seeing a few "one for sorrows" about town, but still no "two for joys"...

I would hazard a guess the numbers in the song relate approximately [with poetic license..] to the breeding cycle
and social dynamic of magpie 'colonies' through the year...???

Once witnessed at least 7 ganging up on a black crow, which I later saw dead in the gutter.

oddly enough, outside a local funeral director's shop....

Subject: RE: BS: 12 May, West Sussex (UK), 1st cuckoo
From: Banjo-Flower
Date: 13 May 16 - 10:14 AM

we heard a cuckoo on May 6th whilst walking along the apropriately named Cockoo Way alongside the Chesterfield canal at West Stockwith North Notts(UK)

as for magpies we have enough to cobble dogs with including two nesting in a tree in our back garden

Gerry

Subject: RE: BS: 12 May, West Sussex (UK), 1st cuckoo
From: Banjo-Flower
Date: 13 May 16 - 03:25 PM

Subject: RE: BS: 12 May, West Sussex (UK), 1st cuckoo
From: Banjo-Flower
Date: 13 May 16 - 03:26 PM

Or even Cuckoo Way

Gerry

Subject: RE: BS: 12 May, West Sussex (UK), 1st cuckoo
From: JHW
Date: 13 May 16 - 03:35 PM

Heard at Middleton One Row on the Tees 6th May and half the days since, a.m. only

Subject: RE: BS: 12 May, West Sussex (UK), 1st cuckoo
From: banjoman
Date: 15 May 16 - 06:41 AM

Lost count of the various birds which see our small garden as a haven (Perhaps because we put food out for them regularly)
Saw a beautiful Red Kite sailing almost motionless over us just yesterday. All in North Hampshire

Subject: RE: BS: 12 May, West Sussex (UK), 1st cuckoo
From: Senoufou
Date: 15 May 16 - 07:23 AM

Nice to know you too have red kites, banjoman. The one that went over our garden made little 'Squee! Squee!' noises, which are very similar to those of eagles and many other birds of prey. I love the way they effortlessly move their triangular tail to change course, just like the rudder of a small aircraft.

Subject: RE: BS: 12 May, West Sussex (UK), 1st cuckoo
From: G-Force
Date: 15 May 16 - 07:30 AM

This used to be what The Times' letters page was for.

Subject: RE: BS: 12 May, West Sussex (UK), 1st cuckoo
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 15 May 16 - 07:40 AM

Talking of skylarks. Some years ago I use to go swimming at 7 every morning in Ely, driving across the stretch of land called Grunty Fen, between our village and Ely [after which some may remember the late Clement Freud, who was Lib MP here (Isle of Ely) for several years, named a v successful racehorse]. The Fen & fields around would be alive with skylarks at that time of the morning: such exquisite soaring & singing! But one year, 15 or so years ago, they were all gone; and haven't returned. Just like the bunnies, indeed -- see that thread! &, as I said above, haven't heard a cuckoo for years either. I wonder what has happened round this bit of NE Cambs, so much to the detriment of our erstwhile wildlife!. Not all dead -- I am watching a large pigeon in our cherry tree just outside the window in front of me at this moment; and there are often lots of sparrows & tits & wrens around the bird feeder that hangs from the tree [tho noticeably fewer than a few years ago]. So it's not as if there is something toxic doing all these missing species in. But the rabbits; and the larks; and the cuckoos?????

Much puzzled...

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