Clear Out!

As I was yet again disabled from birding (don't know how much more of this I can cope with) I decided a clear out of my bureau would be a good idea. Well if anything good comes out of such a mundane exercise it's that you're sure to find something of interest in the process. But in keeping a blog up and running there's always the danger of doing a repeat post and if this is the case here and someone spots it then I'd really appreciate you telling me so.

Over the years I managed a couple of 'Notes' in the very upmarket British Birds magazine, one of which was regarding a Cuckoo I had observed at Barbondale. Watching the bird through my telescope for several minutes I had concluded that it had been calling whilst its bill remained closed throughout. I actually had the same opportunity two years later at the same location which confirmed this and I decided to do a note on what I had witnessed and sent it off to BB for their consideration, in due course they took up the account and published it in the January 2002 issue. However, a look into the BWP book will tell you that in fact the Cuckoo and its advertising - call does appear to have a variation in the manner it is delivered, for interest I'd recommend looking this up.

This article generated some more interest in that 10 months later in the November 2002 issue a correspondent had a note published which followed on from his having seen my article in January regarding the Cuckoo. This person from the UK had apparently spent over 30 years living in Pakistan, and in the outer Himalayan foothills had observed the Common Cuckoo, Oriental Cuckoo, and Lesser Cuckoo at times calling from the same area (lucky man) and had noted all three species had kept their bills closed when calling, whilst the gular pouch - or throat - ballooned out visibly with each call......Bird behaviour and characteristics of which there are endless examples to intrigue us.

I've filled the pic space today with a rather nice image of the Greenshank courtesy of Mike Watson......thanks Mike.