First Cuckoo

I suspect that food supply is a key driving force in Cuckoos being more of a coastal bird these days. Whilst large swathes inland lack enough food due to pesticides, habitat loss etc, our coastal dunes in contrast still provide enough caterpillars to support Cuckoos. I’ve witnessed Cuckoos on numerous occasions in spring feasting on Brown-tail Moth caterpillars which can be quite abundant on sea buckthorn bushes during the same period. 

Regards

Chris 

Owlet woods is on my patch, looking forward to visiting after a break of more than a year, more to see the nuthatch more than anything. 

My regular birding mate goes fishing every week since have been laid up and has seen some good stuff, both this and last week he heard a cuckoo at Crowle.

Up to 30 years ago I would hear a Cuckoo almost every year from my garden, it was most likely down at Silica Sands. Since then have never heard any.

The speaker, incidentally, was the LWT's Dave Miller. His subject was the Natural History and Management of Lincolnshire Coastal Country Park. 

Thanks Jim. That's made my day to think that my own observatiions and those of John Walker are in line with a Speaker at an RSPB Group - we must know a little bit!!

Based on date and time, quite likely the same bird I saw.

It flew off, calling, over the former Pleasure Island theme park.

At a talk to Grimsby RSPB Group earlier this month, the speaker noted that, based on various data, the cuckoo seems to be becoming more of a coastal species. 

Sadly your observations are all too true Stuart , I have heard 7 male cuckoos. from Huttoft dunes through to Pyes Hall
Donna Nook but on my infrequent visits to the wolds I have yet to hear one

Regards John