Cuckoos on a Misty Morning.
01st June 2022
The month of May and the first two weeks of June in the Brecon Beacons are what I consider to be the prime time for photographing Cuckoos. I have had most of my successful days out during these periods. Cuckoos are calling and are more active during this time, later into June, as a rule, Cuckoos start to become quieter and therefore more difficult to locate. However, there are no set rules and things can differ, but generally this is correct. I have been unable to try and photograph Cuckoos this spring because of holidays and other commitments during May. However, last year I was given permission from some very nice people to access some private land in an effort to get closer to where I had heard Cuckoos calling, and over the last few days I have been watching three Cuckoos on this land, two males and a female flying around a field which has many Meadow Pipits nesting. This field has some isolated trees dotted around and this is the perfect scenario for Cuckoos, a vantage point and nests to lay their eggs in, and that’s all there is to it, it’s not complicated. I could also see a tree which the males in particular were perching in regularly, the female appeared less frequently - a much shyer bird.
The weather forecast had promised fine weather for Tuesday of this week and as usual the night before I loaded all my kit into my car and got all my birding clothes, flask, sandwiches etc. all ready - my alarm was set for 04.45. The following morning when I looked out of my landing window at 04.46 I could barely see the cars parked below, some ten yards away. I cursed those weather forecasters because fog is the worst weather, cold or rain you can overcome but fog is a no go. However, it was early June and fog can burn off with a bit of sun so I went for it, though more in hope than expectation. Driving along I could hardly see anything and things didn’t look at all promising but this was supposed to be the best day of the week so I pushed on through the stygian gloom. Suddenly I could see something round in the middle of the road, I thought it was a football but as I got closer I could see it was a very large Hedgehog, probably a pregnant female. I got out to encourage her to move into the undergrowth but she scurried off under her own steam. I was very pleased at this because we can ill afford to lose any Hedgehogs especially pregnant ones.
Arriving at the site there was a hint of brightness above which looked vaguely promising. In view of this there was no time to waste getting under cover because Cuckoos are very wary and street-wise birds and if they see you they won’t come anywhere near. I had decided where I wanted my portable hide positioned previously, there’s no time to do this on the actual morning, and detailed planning always works. I set the hide up quickly and arranged a large ‘Camo’ net over the top to soften and blend it in. I set my lens and tripod up and settled in under cover ensuring all my items were under with me.
To my pleasant surprise the weather continued to brighten with the now very early morning sun starting to burn of the mist. It was now 05.45 and from my left I could hear the soft bubbling call of the female Cuckoo. After some time she flew and briefly perched in the top of a now sunlit Hawthorn tree, I managed a quick shot before she flew off when a male Cuckoo landed beneath her.
I knew from observations that she was very shy and elusive. It was an hour before I heard a male Cuckoo calling and by now it had turned into a glorious morning, those weather forecasters weren’t too bad after all! I peeled off my top coat because it was now too uncomfortable in the sunshine. These Cuckoos seem to do the rounds of their favourite trees and you just have to wait until they choose the right one for you, there’s no easy way around it.
The calls got louder and nearer and finally a male flew into ‘My’ tree and he was only thirty feet away but he was obscured by branches. This is so frustrating but you have to take it on the chin, he began calling but stayed obscured for a minute until he flew off nearby. It would have been a lovely shot in what was now improving light. I poured a cup of coffee as a consolation and settled in for what now seemed like the long haul. However, ten minutes later and here he was again but unbelievably perched again on what was obviously his favourite branch.
This was a potential problem for me because if this was repeated all day the shoot would be ruined, but there was nothing I could do only wait and hope. I had a sandwich – my breakfast, another coffee and waited. Déjà vu; here he comes again, but this time he perched right out in the open in a now beautiful subtle light with a lovely diffused pastel coloured background.
These are the situations a bird photographer dreams about, and must make the most of, because they may not happen again in their life time. I shot him from thirty feet as he posed beautifully right in front of me.
He came back another three or four times during the morning perching on various branches giving breath-taking views.
These are the golden times that make it all worthwhile, the early mornings, and the disappointments all forgotten – just sublime.
Cuckoo nirvana!!
Youtube link below of the bird calling.
https://youtu.be/J5we_mJJNt0
However, everything must come to an end and things went quiet for whatever reason and now the window of fine weather also began to disappear and light rain began to fall. I decided now was the right time to leave because the Cuckoos had also left. I packed up everything into the boot of my car and left for a very contented drive home.
The weather forecast had promised fine weather for Tuesday of this week and as usual the night before I loaded all my kit into my car and got all my birding clothes, flask, sandwiches etc. all ready - my alarm was set for 04.45. The following morning when I looked out of my landing window at 04.46 I could barely see the cars parked below, some ten yards away. I cursed those weather forecasters because fog is the worst weather, cold or rain you can overcome but fog is a no go. However, it was early June and fog can burn off with a bit of sun so I went for it, though more in hope than expectation. Driving along I could hardly see anything and things didn’t look at all promising but this was supposed to be the best day of the week so I pushed on through the stygian gloom. Suddenly I could see something round in the middle of the road, I thought it was a football but as I got closer I could see it was a very large Hedgehog, probably a pregnant female. I got out to encourage her to move into the undergrowth but she scurried off under her own steam. I was very pleased at this because we can ill afford to lose any Hedgehogs especially pregnant ones.
Arriving at the site there was a hint of brightness above which looked vaguely promising. In view of this there was no time to waste getting under cover because Cuckoos are very wary and street-wise birds and if they see you they won’t come anywhere near. I had decided where I wanted my portable hide positioned previously, there’s no time to do this on the actual morning, and detailed planning always works. I set the hide up quickly and arranged a large ‘Camo’ net over the top to soften and blend it in. I set my lens and tripod up and settled in under cover ensuring all my items were under with me.
To my pleasant surprise the weather continued to brighten with the now very early morning sun starting to burn of the mist. It was now 05.45 and from my left I could hear the soft bubbling call of the female Cuckoo. After some time she flew and briefly perched in the top of a now sunlit Hawthorn tree, I managed a quick shot before she flew off when a male Cuckoo landed beneath her.
I knew from observations that she was very shy and elusive. It was an hour before I heard a male Cuckoo calling and by now it had turned into a glorious morning, those weather forecasters weren’t too bad after all! I peeled off my top coat because it was now too uncomfortable in the sunshine. These Cuckoos seem to do the rounds of their favourite trees and you just have to wait until they choose the right one for you, there’s no easy way around it.
The calls got louder and nearer and finally a male flew into ‘My’ tree and he was only thirty feet away but he was obscured by branches. This is so frustrating but you have to take it on the chin, he began calling but stayed obscured for a minute until he flew off nearby. It would have been a lovely shot in what was now improving light. I poured a cup of coffee as a consolation and settled in for what now seemed like the long haul. However, ten minutes later and here he was again but unbelievably perched again on what was obviously his favourite branch.
This was a potential problem for me because if this was repeated all day the shoot would be ruined, but there was nothing I could do only wait and hope. I had a sandwich – my breakfast, another coffee and waited. Déjà vu; here he comes again, but this time he perched right out in the open in a now beautiful subtle light with a lovely diffused pastel coloured background.
These are the situations a bird photographer dreams about, and must make the most of, because they may not happen again in their life time. I shot him from thirty feet as he posed beautifully right in front of me.
He came back another three or four times during the morning perching on various branches giving breath-taking views.
These are the golden times that make it all worthwhile, the early mornings, and the disappointments all forgotten – just sublime.
Cuckoo nirvana!!
Youtube link below of the bird calling.
https://youtu.be/J5we_mJJNt0
However, everything must come to an end and things went quiet for whatever reason and now the window of fine weather also began to disappear and light rain began to fall. I decided now was the right time to leave because the Cuckoos had also left. I packed up everything into the boot of my car and left for a very contented drive home.