Bird ID please

[LancsRover]

I saw this bird in Alcossebre, Spain on 12th March 2017, could anyone please ID? I think it could be a cuckoo but I'm no birder, it was about the same size as a magpie.
Sorry about photo quality, on the "wrong" side.
Russ

[bugboy]

That is indeed a Cuckoo, a Greater Spotted Cuckoo Clamator glandarius in fact

[LancsRover]

Cheers Bugboy do we get them in Britain too?
Russ

[bugboy]

No, in Europe it's pretty widespread across Iberia and then parts of southern France and eastern Italy but no where else. It lays it's eggs in Corvid nests.

[LancsRover]

Thanks for that bugboy, I must try and get a better photo for my file.
Russ

[Mark Colvin]

Hi Russ.

I'm sure Bugboy won't mind me saying, although not a British bird per say, they do occasionally turn up as very rare vagrants. There were 46 records in Britain up until the end of 2011, of which nine have occurred this century. I was fortunate to see one, at very close quarters, on a golf course in Worthing, West Sussex on 8th April 2005.

I won't hold my breath for the next one though ...

Good hunting.

Kind regards. Mark

[bugboy]

Hi Russ.

I'm sure Bugboy won't mind me saying, although not a British bird per say, they do occasionally turn up as very rare vagrants. There were 46 records in Britain up until the end of 2011, of which nine have occurred this century. I was fortunate to see one, at very close quarters, on a golf course in Worthing, West Sussex on 8th April 2005.

I won't hold my breath for the next one though ...

Good hunting.

Kind regards. Mark

I've never been a bird twitcher so I think I used up all my luck with the Shrike last year! They do look very impressive though.

[LancsRover]

Many thanks Mark and Bugboy for the information, I'm now a little wiser than I was a week ago, I am not a birder but one does get different things down here in Spain
Regards Russ