Where are all the cukoos?

[Graham H]

Where are all the cuckoos this year? In my work as a professional gardener I have in the past heard or seen cuckoos in about 6 locations here in West Sussex.This year I have heard one briefly on only two occasions !

[cybershot]

The Sound of Spring..... - Wild About The World

May give you some inkling of the situation.

I've only heard two this year; one locally where previuosly they have been more prolific and one on Thursley NNR this week.

David

[Loganberry]

I heard one for the first time last week but haven't heard it again.

[Cazzie]

No idea about the cuckoos... but wanted to say Hi and welcome you to WAB all the same

[dmclean2]

Hi Graham,
Welcome to WAB hope you enjoy the company,
In my local patch, Fowlmead Country Park, I have heard at least two and both at the same time in two differnt locations,
Now! seeing them , That's a different ball game
Duncan

[skinidin]

We are very lucky here in that we always have a lot of cuckoos

and I actually saw one last week sitting and calling in the big ash tree near our house. As the leaves are far from out yet up here it bwas easy to spot.

I was thrilled, because even here you rarely manage to see one.

[ron1863]

Have been hearing my "local" Cuckoo in it's usual spot, it's been returning for a good few years, though a bit late this year.

[barquar]

cuckoo seen in park hall country park Staffs by 2 people and heard by my huaband.
Barquar

[sunnydale]

I heard my first Cuckoo of the year on Sunday. I hear them every year but have still never seen one!

[amerrett]

Ok, so the photo is rubbish but it was taken at very short notice.

I was walking back from Middleton quarry works on Sunday afternoon along the path back to the hall, when I heard the Cuckoo calling from above me.

My camera was on a monopod and its settings were as I had left them in the open by the lake...not ideal for low light..I took the shot holding the camera vertically, best as I could with the weight of the pod. Moments later the bird flew away.

[Keith Talbot]

theres plenty in the New Forest,

ive heard several over the last couple of weeks and briefly saw one of them

[Marsh hopper]

No lack of Cuckoo's noted by me! Heard them last week on the Grand Union Canal near Milton Keynes and on a walk in the Ashridge estate. Also, spotted one on Cliffe marshes just a couple of days ago.

[ellen h]

Hi Graham and welcome
We have at least 3 cuckoos here at the local country park
ellen

[Jez]

Hi Graham welcome to WAB! You've stumbled across the busiest forum on the internet for cuckoo's, I should know I've met a few them!

[monkey]

Hi and welcome to WAB
If you have a look at this link to the webcam in the New Forest on the Goshawk net you will hear the cuckoo in the background!!

Daily Echo | New Forest | News from the New Forest, Lymington, Brockenhurst, Hythe and Fawley

Linda

[Marsh hopper]

It's interesting that the RSPB list the Cuckoo as 'in danger' and yet so many people here are reporting 'sightings' as usual. They also list the Lapwing as 'in danger' yet you wouldn't think so looking at them in the fields here in the north Kent marshes.

[flower_girl]

I've really noticed the decline of the cuckoo in marginal habitat, those pockets of woodland which used to have cuckoos are now silent. They are still about in some areas but it's the overall decline which is what worries me.

The same with lapwings. As a breeding bird numbers have been dropping in marginal habitats. There are still plenty of birds in some areas of great habitat but when you take the bigger picture the numbers have dramatically reduced across the country as a whole.

I've been worried about cuckoos for sometime now... fingers crossed they wil now become more of a piority for conservationists after their inclusion on the red list.

[RAINBOWRUSSELL]

Where we live in West Dorset in a rural location surrounded with fields & mixed woods I haven't heard one at all and I am home all the time..outside as much as poss..I really thought I would have heard at least one here!!Lat year we lived near Shipton Hill & didn't hear one there either!

[aland]

Hi, To true about our birds etc, we have not heard a cuckoo for five years, here, This being stratford warwick area, I am still worried about our green woodpeckers, not a sign at all since before the snow, when i was still at working age i did not have the time to notice the same as i do now, I seem to spend more and more hours across the fields these days, I am also noticing less bumble bees we used to always have them around our stables in holes in the ground and even in the straw shed all this is worrying, any way bye for now, aland.

[DavyG]

I've heard three so far this year.

The first was at Loompit Lakes on 16th May, the second at Holbrook on 28th May and the third today at Wicken Fen.

There may have been two at Wicken as I'm fairly sure I heard the calls from two different directions, one shortly after the other.

Dave

[DIPSYDOLL]

yup weve got them in the field at the back been hearing them about 3 wks have them every year but only spotted one once