Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus)
We had a very welcome late morning visitor at Stratford Point today in the form of this Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) as it searched out tent caterpillars on the bluff. The American Robins and Common Grackles were not as welcoming, thinking this bird was going to go after their nests and little ones. The light was not the best for photography, but it is hard to get better views of a cuckoo than this! Stratford Point keeps bringing in the migrants even as we near the end of May. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
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The ghosts of the forest, the cuckoos are as tough to actually see as any bird of their size and habitat can be. They may be all around us but they move so silently and sit perfectly still to elude detection, even at eye level. For a bird as apparently common as they are they certainly know how to keep a low and hidden profile. This Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) was one a few that I heard yesterday, and these were the best shots I could manage before this bird vanished again. I heard at least 10 Black-billed Cuckoos but saw only one as it flew from one tree to another while...
Read MoreYellow-billed Cuckoo
This poor Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) may have a prolonged pause in southbound migration this fall…why? Take a look. Something missing? It does not have a tail between those wing tips, and while it is out of view it looked like it was ripped right off. The bird is probably happy to be alive, and it was still observed feeding on autumn snacks such as a praying mantis. Hopefully it will be warm enough for it to survive for now and get on growing, perhaps taking an eventual slower and more methodical trip to its wintering grounds.
Read MoreYellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus)
This Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) was a spectacular surprise for me this morning after a night of strong passerine migration. Cuckoos are not that uncommon, but getting actually decent and prolonged glimpses at them are! This cooperative bird even let me snap a couple of recognizable photos. It was much more interested in feeding, albeit in the shade of the bright morning sun, than worrying about me watching it. What are some of the highlights of your “fall” birding so far? We are finally saying goodbye to many of our summer birds, on the cusp of welcoming some of...
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