Every year has me wondering will we have Cuckoo’s next year?
Well this year we have been blessed by three or perhaps four this May.
This morning my wife and I actually saw three Cuckoo’s racing across Cannock Chase toward Flints Field in fierce competition. Two calling as they flew and having landed in different places calling in such a way to try to outdo one another.
What a wonder!
These birds arrive sometime in April and are gone again by Junes end. The females seek a mate and then find viable nest. They turf out the original birds eggs and lay their single egg in the nest matching the nest eggs colours (what a miracle). If the original birds lay more eggs later they are turfed out by a feisty baby cuckoo when it hatches (even though it does not have it eyes open yet) and mom and dad raise the infiltrator as their own.
The youngster when full grown makes its way to Africa where it overwinters and the cycle goes on.
Cattle On The Heathland
The cattle are back on the heathland cleaning up the nettles and cropping the grass.
They are Mainly Hereford Crosses and some Belted Galloways. They are well used to people and are always inquisitive about dogs on leads.
This morning a group 6 Hind popped up from nearby and made off over the fences for cover. The are very timid and are rarely seen in the daytime.
Sadly their home territory has been encroached on by Mountain Bikers even at night now with their brilliant lights. Sadly the bikers never see the deer or hear the birds they are only ever there for their jolly bike rides. We hear them so often bragging about how much their bikes cost. What a waste of a day!
