First Cuckoo

Interesting, and sad fact noted on Springwatch last night that in England there has been a 70% decline of cuckoos.
In Scotland there has been a steady increase though, which they think is due to a safer migratory route for Scottish birds.

A cuckoo was calling this morning on Cleethorpes foreshore. The bird is a great ventriloquist. In the former Pleasure Island theme park, there is a large reedbed -  I think this is likely to be as much a target location for egg-laying as the reeds lining Buck Beck.

Pete,
Totally agree I would far sooner see the tiny Reed Warbler than the bully Cuckoo!!

JTG

Nice pics. of Reed Warblers Nick. Maybe shouldn't say it, but I would sooner see Reed Warbler than Cuckoo.

Regards Pete

This morning I heard two cuckoos along the Cleethorpes stretch. One around the beach area scrub behind the boating lake, and the other along the Buck beck path from the outflow back toward the golf course. I am pretty confident it wasn't the same bird too. One thing that did strike me along this latter stretch was the number of Reed warbler pairings. Just on this one stretch I encountered 5 pairs. Knowing the cuckoo's propensity for Reed warbler surrogacy, is it possible this may be the reason for a coastal bias?

Thanks, Chris.  I heard one in Dog Kennel Wood this morning so there is a presence in the Market Rasen area!