First Cuckoo of spring

[jenkinsbrynmair]

No, not an observation of the usual forum chatter.
But this early morning as I was letting the chickens out and amongst the spring dawn chorus I heard the first cuckoo of 2022 on the foothills of the black mountain

 

[Erichalfbee]

We’ve seen swallows.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

we heard one whilst camping in new forest on Friday too...

 

[pargyle]

No, not an observation of the usual forum chatter.
But this early morning as I was letting the chickens out and amongst the spring dawn chorus I heard the first cuckoo of 2022 on the foothills of the black mountain

Getting to be a bit of a rarity down here on the Costa del Fareham, we used to have one in the garden regularly every year when we first moved here 30 odd years ago .... not heard one locally for years now. Mind you .. we also used to get flocks of Dunnocks in the garden and they have gone too ...

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Getting to be a bit of a rarity down here on the Costa del Fareham, we used to have one in the garden regularly every year when we first moved here 30 odd years ago

probably because most of the marshland habitat the warblers (their favourite 'host') enjoy has now been 'developed'?

 

[pargyle]

probably because most of the marshland habitat the warblers (their favourite 'host') enjoy has now been 'developed'?

Yes ... that's going to be an issue down here although we have Titchfield Haven only a mile or so away which is preserved as a wetlands and attracts a lot of waders and acquatic birds ... we have heard cuckoos down there at times.

https://www.hants.gov.uk/thingstodo/countryparks/titchfield

 

[Bluetractorman]

We’ve seen swallows.

Same in W Sussex but fewer and much later than normal