11-05-2015, 08:53 PM
16
Re: Has anyone heard a Cuckoo call this year?
I like the sound of a cuckoo and it was very common when I was a child, but I have mixed feelings about them. They are impostors and they do trick a poor unsuspecting bird of another species to abandon their own chicks who then die.The poor mothering bird is often half the size of the monster she is desperately working to feed not knowing it's not even hers.
I have quite a lot of nesting birds in the garden, the usual sparrows and blackbirds, great tits in the nest box and blue tits also, have also seen wrens gathering nesting material in the garden.
Towards the end of last week a female blackbird fledgling flew into one of the windows. It was so sad to see the poor thing injured on the path and I could see it was most likely a fatal injury. It was flapping and distressed, it was a cold rainy day and I couldn't just leave it there so I picked it up and cupped it in both my hands supporting the body and all covered apart from the head for warmth, it calmed down and the eyes closed. I held it like that for a bit and it went into a coma after a little while, and I then wrapped it in an old tea towel and put it in a cardboard box and when I looked later it had died.
11-05-2015, 09:41 PM
17
Re: Has anyone heard a Cuckoo call this year?
[QUOTE=Meg;649373]For the first time since I can remember I have not heard a Cuckoo so far this year .I usually hear one in April, someone locally appears to have done I am pleased to see..
Thought I heard one a few weeks ago Meg, but I wasn't sure, it was a long way off, and it was just a short burst. But I heard one for sure while out running early on Sunday morning. It left me feeling good for the rest of the day.
11-05-2015, 09:51 PM
18
Re: Has anyone heard a Cuckoo call this year?
Originally Posted by Anita
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I like the sound of a cuckoo and it was very common when I was a child, but I have mixed feelings about them. They are impostors and they do trick a poor unsuspecting bird of another species to abandon their own chicks who then die.The poor mothering bird is often half the size of the monster she is desperately working to feed not knowing it's not even hers.
I have quite a lot of nesting birds in the garden, the usual sparrows and blackbirds, great tits in the nest box and blue tits also, have also seen wrens gathering nesting material in the garden.
Towards the end of last week a female blackbird fledgling flew into one of the windows. It was so sad to see the poor thing injured on the path and I could see it was most likely a fatal injury. It was flapping and distressed, it was a cold rainy day and I couldn't just leave it there so I picked it up and cupped it in both my hands supporting the body and all covered apart from the head for warmth, it calmed down and the eyes closed. I held it like that for a bit and it went into a coma after a little while, and I then wrapped it in an old tea towel and put it in a cardboard box and when I looked later it had died.
Poor Blackbird, that is sad. My sitting room has a big window floor to ceiling on both sides and I think the birds see straight through. I get a lot flying into them luckily they are only winded most of the time.
11-05-2015, 09:53 PM
19
Re: Has anyone heard a Cuckoo call this year?
Originally Posted by OldGreyFox
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Thought I heard one a few weeks ago Meg, but I wasn't sure, it was a long way off, and it was just a short burst. But I heard one for sure while out running early on Sunday morning. It left me feeling good for the rest of the day.
I think it is that feeling that winter has really gone...
11-05-2015, 10:02 PM
20
Re: Has anyone heard a Cuckoo call this year?
Originally Posted by Meg
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Yes I know what you mean about Cuckoos being nest robbers Anita but for me it isn't spring without their call Poor Blackbird, that is sad. My sitting room has a big window floor to ceiling on both sides and I think the birds see straight through. I get a lot flying into them luckily they are only winded most of the time.
I've got some 'leaves' that you put on the glass which should help. They are not sticky but do stay put.
I think I am going to get something else also as it didn't stop the fledgling getting killed.
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