First Sounds of Spring

[Glow worm]

I heard a cuckoo just over a week ago.

That is amazingly early. Most cuckoos are still in central Africa as you can see from this site. The nearest tagged cuckoo to us, called Iolo, crossed into Libya in mid Feb, (tagged last year in Pontrhydfendigaid - a word I can only say after 3 pints of Stella - Wales).

The Gibraltar birding site / observatory has been reporting swallows and house martins crossing the Straights into Europe since Feb 2nd, so things are on the move at long last. An early pallid swift has made it too. I remember standing outside the observatory there myself, about this time last year, and watching exhausted birds arrive having made it across the water and the Sahara was so exciting.

One nice early returner to listen out for is the chiffchaff. We should start hearing them towards the end of March, though the odd really early one may be heard any time now.

 

[postman]

lawnmowers being fired up for first cut of the year

Our lawn got it's first trim on Sunday,i was surprised how dry the grass was.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

That is amazingly early. Most cuckoos are still in central Africa as you can see from this site.

I've emailed the wildlife guy at Lochaber News to see if anyone else reported the early cuckoo. It's possible I was wrong but with my wife confirming it I'm pretty sure about it.


GC

 

[Poacher]

One nice early returner to listen out for is the chiffchaff. We should start hearing them towards the end of March, though the odd really early one may be heard any time now.

Wahey! I saw two on New Year's Day!! They overwinter in small numbers, and I'd seen one in the same area on 1st Jan a few years previously, so wasn't particularly surprised, but it made my day, and that of a few other birders who I put onto them. Another warbler which has started to overwinter in recent decades is Blackcap. There's been a female in my garden on and off for the past couple of months - she's spoilt rotten with black grapes, but we have a job stopping Blackbirds from nicking them before she gets a chance!

 

[laurence]

they don't much of a sound, but saw this beauty today...

 

[Glow worm]

Wahey! I saw two on New Year's Day!! They overwinter in small numbers, and I'd seen one in the same area on 1st Jan a few years previously, so wasn't particularly surprised, but it made my day, and that of a few other birders who I put onto them. Another warbler which has started to overwinter in recent decades is Blackcap. There's been a female in my garden on and off for the past couple of months - she's spoilt rotten with black grapes, but we have a job stopping Blackbirds from nicking them before she gets a chance!

Good to see a chiff in winter- none for me though yet! We've had winter blackcaps here too this year - lovely to see them. I did hear someone say our winter blackcaps could be continental birds escaping even colder conditions to the east, and that 'our own' black caps are still heading south each year. I guess we need a few ringed birds to be trapped to find out!

 

[GIOS]

[QUOTE 2345344, member: 9609"]should be good for the northern lights?[/quote]
Sure Btw northern lights are the biggest export after Nokia. Wherever you go in the arctic circle, there's always a bunch of Japanese people with their cameras.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

WHAT????? Have you sent the traditional letter to the Times? This could be a new record for Scotland - it would be very early for the S coast of England!

Here's the answer I received from our wildlife guy at Lochaber News:

"It would seem to be much too early for the cuckoos in the UK let alone the Highlands. Could I suggest a starling is imitating the call? This may seem silly but our starlings have been imitating a curlew to perfection despite the fact there has been no curlew calling in the strath since late last summer. "​

GC

 

[Yellow Fang]

Never felt so much like breaking into Here Comes The Sun, although I was never particularly keen on that George Harrison song.

 

[Deleted member 23692]

I heard my first oystercatchers of the year today.... When nature's squeaky toys return to the uplands spring is definitely here

 

[Poacher]

Here's the answer I received from our wildlife guy at Lochaber News:

"It would seem to be much too early for the cuckoos in the UK let alone the Highlands. Could I suggest a starling is imitating the call? This may seem silly but our starlings have been imitating a curlew to perfection despite the fact there has been no curlew calling in the strath since late last summer. "​

GC

The sneaky little b*ggers! Makes you wonder what they'll get up to next. They're very selective in what they choose to copy, though - I've tried to teach them to copy the Antigua dialect of Carib Grackle; can't actually find a recording of it on here, but it's two short descending notes followed by three identical higher notes. Quite a simple song to remind me of past holidays, but will they repeat it? Will they hell!!!

 

[Glow worm]

Sometimes collared doves can sound rather cuckoo-like as well.

 

[subaqua]

the click of spd s into pedals by the dozen at any large road junction at 5 pm onwards. it was nice to have company on the commute