Lade - cool and cloudy, SW 4 - I`ve spent a fair bit of time these past two days trying to establish how many Cuckoos are on site and I reckon there could be as many as three males and at least a couple of females. The habitat hereabouts is perfect for them with plenty of mature willow scrub for cover, loads of moth caterpillars (mostly Brown-tailed larva in `tents`) in the swamp and on the dry scrub outback to feed on and an abundance of Dunnocks, Reed Warblers and Whitethroats as their main host species. Cuckoos range right across the site, particularly the males, calling frantically from either the seclusion of tree cover to out in the open on overhead power cables; in the calm of yesterday morning I even heard one from the cottage at 6am. On arrival the males emit the classic `cuck-oo` song, and then once they`ve become established introduce the `gwok-gwok-gwok` laughing note into their vocal repertoire. The females are far more furtive as they go about their parasitic business but do make a delightful bubbling call. I always make the most of `my` Cuckoos as they don`t stay for long and by July the adults will be off back to their main haunt in Africa, hopefully leaving a few of their progeny behind to follow in the autumn.
Over the lakes, in the cool air and showers, countless hirundines and Swifts have moved through, which today included predominantly House Martins. A Hobby and a Marsh Harrier were noted behind north lake this afternoon as the wind began to pick up; tomorrow looks like gale force winds coming off the Atlantic. Could be good for Manxies at the point...
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