Shining Cuckoos 2019-2020
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Shining Cuckoos 2019-2020
Today at about 1:40pm, I was surprised to hear the call of a shining cuckoo whilst walking on The Terrace in Wellington City; about a ten minute walk to the north of Victoria University. This was very much a concrete jungle environment; could the call have been that of a starling mimicking the cuckoo's call?
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Re: Shining Cuckoos 2019-2020
I heard one last week and thought the same thing so spent some time tracking it down, and yes it was a shining cuckoo. Are these overwintering, late departing or early arrivals?
- TheBirderman
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Re: Shining Cuckoos 2019-2020
Hi everyone
My guess is overwintering, a few birds overwinter each year as I read on NZ Birds Online
Cheers
My guess is overwintering, a few birds overwinter each year as I read on NZ Birds Online
Cheers
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Re: Shining Cuckoos 2019-2020
My workmate heard one down in Haast a week or so ago I believe. Was in the bush so unlikely to be anything else I’d have thought down there? Maybe?
- Neil Fitzgerald
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Re: Shining Cuckoos 2019-2020
Interesting that Dave saw one. It's common time for song thrush to do their shining cuckoo impression, so visual confirmation is really needed. I've not heard starlings doing anything convincing
- David Riddell
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Re: Shining Cuckoos 2019-2020
Many years ago I remember hearing starlings doing shining cuckoo impressions, as I recall it was at least a couple of months before any cuckoos actually arrived. They had the upward slur thing down pat, but never followed it up with the downward slur, and they mixed those calls in with lots of other more usual starling noises, so there were never any real worries about misidentification.
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Re: Shining Cuckoos 2019-2020
In the last week or two starlings in my Waitakeres garden have been sounding as described above by David. Catches my attention every time!!
Phil Hammond
Wrybill Birding Tours NZ
Great Birds Real Birders
Phil Hammond
Wrybill Birding Tours NZ
Great Birds Real Birders
- Neil Fitzgerald
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Re: Shining Cuckoos 2019-2020
Cool. I'll listen to my starlings more closely. They do make a beautiful range of sounds.
- simon.fordham
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Re: Shining Cuckoos 2019-2020
East Tamaki Heights, Auckland
Heard 11.44 AM Today.
Heard 11.44 AM Today.
- melissab
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Re: Shining Cuckoos 2019-2020
I heard my first Shining Cuckoo of the season calling on Valley View Track at Zealandia this past Wednesday (11 September). Definitely a Cuckoo call, was very loud and complete with downward slurs