Cuckoo & Whitethroats
I spent the early afternoon at Bystock Woods, then I popped down to Orcombe and walked to Sandy Bay. Birds of note at Bystock and the adjacent common were Willow Warbler and Dartford Warbler; a reasonable number of Chiffchaff and Blackcap were also singing. I heard a Cuckoo calling somewhere towards Withycombe Raleigh Common. This is the second year running that I've heard a Cuckoo in this area. Here is a photo that I took in the spring of 2023. I wonder if it is the same bird? Will it find a mate? The walk from Orcombe to Sandy Bay was productive. Lots of Chiffchaff (11+) singing along with at least 3 Willow Warbler . 3+ Whitethroat were singing from the bushes along the coast path. I saw and heard one Lesser Whitethroat in the cliff-top bushes before the WWII lookout. Sadly the bird did not show long enough for a photo. Also in this stretch of vegetation was a singing Garden Warbler , poorly photographed here: A pair of Long-tailed Tit were also actively feeding in ...