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Bird ID please
Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 7:31 am
by 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
Re: Bird ID please
Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 8:25 am
by bugboy
That is indeed a Cuckoo, a Greater Spotted Cuckoo
Clamator glandarius in fact
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Re: Bird ID please
Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 3:38 pm
by LancsRover
Cheers Bugboy do we get them in Britain too?
Russ
Re: Bird ID please
Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 6:07 pm
by 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.
Re: Bird ID please
Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 7:09 pm
by LancsRover
Thanks for that bugboy, I must try and get a better photo for my file.
Russ
Re: Bird ID please
Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2017 5:38 pm
by 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
Re: Bird ID please
Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2017 7:46 pm
by bugboy
Mark Colvin wrote: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.
Re: Bird ID please
Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2017 8:46 pm
by 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