The Cuckoo is one of those iconic birds that you hear in the spring and summer, but seldom see. I've heard a cuckoo calling many times at Croome, but no matter where I am, they are at the opposite end of the estate, and very distant. The photo below was taken in 2018 and was my first good view. It was calling from the woods - and I only had to walk about 2km to see it!

In 2019, I had a much better strategy. Learning which areas they frequent, I just waited for one to appear! A bit of a gamble, but this one turned up after an hour of waiting. Cuckoos look a little like a pigeon at first glance. However, they have a clear barred pattern on their front. They also perch in a more horizontal position, with their wings drooping slightly.

Here is a slightly wobbly recording of the cuckoo calling...

Cuckoos tend to perch in the top of large trees so if you hear one nearby, there is a good chance of seeing it. This one below is the male, and he has a grey head and front.

Females tend to have a more brown coloured front, and more overall brown-ish colour. Of course they will be much more difficult to see, as they are not the ones singing in the treetops. I was lucky enough to see the one below flying around before meeting up with a nearby male cuckoo. They can look a lot like a bird of prey when flying.