Sunday, 2 June 2019

Cuckoo in Broadland

Finally, after 5 visits and almost 9 hours (8 hours and 45 minutes) I was finally able to get pictures of the regularly returning Cuckoo to a caterpillar laden bush at a secret Broadland location. I had been hampered by people regularly walking by on a public footpath, they were perfectly entitled to do so and my stake out was further back on the river bank path with reeds and vegetation helping shield me. My tactics were to wait for the bird to fly in from 100 yards away, from a vantage point, to ensure no disturbance of the bird on my part then crawl into position, this worked admirably. Initially the bird perched on top of the bush but very sadly it was totally obscured, I couldn't move... s I might disturb it had I done so and I was only able to get a few pics of the bird (albiet usually obscured) as it fed mainly at the back of the bush and I can carefully crawl into position but regular walkers passing by on a footpath running right past the bush, forced the bird deeper into the bush. It even stayed after 2 walkers and a small dog went by, I viewed the bird on and off for 30 minutes, until sadly further walkers with 2 labradors probably flushed the bird, but I didn't see it fly out. A Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler were also also seen in the bushes and an Avocet flying over. I will try again for some more pictures but big thanks to both the Smiths: Murray and Steve for tipping me off about this and their encouragement to keep trying despite my initial lack of luck and pics!!

No comments: