Todays highlight on Black hole marsh was a cuckoo. Having been to both Dartmoor and the Levels earlier this year when they were only heard but not seen I was hopeful when Ian M found one early, (well early for me), this morning. Not really expecting to be lucky enough to see it I cycled over 20-30 minutes later and as expected it had gone off somewhere in the Stafford Marsh direction. However as luck would have it 30 minutes or so later while I was lapping up all the dunlin and ring plovers I suddenly saw the cuckoo on top of a distant tree. It then immediately flew towards me and settled briefly in a closer tree and then on the wires close to the platform before heading over to Colyford Common.
And here is Steve on the platform (taken from the tower hide) desperately searching for it. Am pleased to say his search was eventually rewarded.
The wood sandpiper managed a brief 2 second view before being disturbed and disappearing again
and here are some of the ring plovers from this morning
and the recent sanderling
Crackers of the Cuckoo Sue!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to be the grammar police because that's one time too many that I've seen 'ring plover' or 'little ring plover'. The word that is meant to precede 'Plover' is Ringed :)
Great Cuckoo photos, Sue. Nice!
ReplyDelete