Sunday 16 August 2009

Sammy's Cuckoo

Cuckoo [juvenile]


Broad Bodied Chaser [female]
ebirder, Marcus Conway, wanted to photograph a Cuckoo, and the only reliable one I know about is at Sammy's Point on the threshhold of Spurn. Luckily, it was there, but was wary, as most Cuckoos usually are. It was very efficient at catching caterpillars - it appeared to catch four within 2 minutes! After spending some time with the Cuckoo, we scoured the prolific horse paddock where Common Blue butterflies were in abundance. Also present were Painted Ladies, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Meadow Brown, and 4 lifers for Marcus - Wall Brown, Small Heath, Small Copper and the above dragonfly - a Broad-Bodied Chaser. There may have been a Brown Argus among the Common Blues, but the photo will have to be examined by experts, before final confirmation may be given. The paddocks cover only a fairly small area of ground, but they were absolutely teeming with insect life, which was probably why the Cuckoo also found it the perfect hunting-ground!

No comments: