Long-tailed cuckoo arrivals

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Neil Fitzgerald
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Long-tailed cuckoo arrivals

Postby Neil Fitzgerald » Wed Sep 27, 2017 9:32 am

Secondhand report of a long-tailed cuckoo calling in Turangi on Sunday, and calls at Lake Maraetai on Monday.
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berle
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Re: Cuckoo arrivals

Postby berle » Sat Sep 30, 2017 6:18 pm

We've only just started hearing shining cuckoos here on Little Barrier since Friday 29th Sept. Long-tails started up around the 27th.
Cheryl Walton
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Re: Long-tailed cuckoo arrivals

Postby Cheryl Walton » Fri Oct 13, 2017 7:24 pm

I was up at Boundry Stream today and one of the rangers said that he heard a Long-tailed Cuckoo up there 1 1/2 weeks ago, also made the comment that they are early.
Mike Vincent
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Re: Long-tailed cuckoo arrivals

Postby Mike Vincent » Sat Oct 14, 2017 3:16 pm

Secondhand and reliable report of one heard on Western Okatina walkway last weekend
Davidthomas
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Re: Long-tailed cuckoo arrivals

Postby Davidthomas » Mon Oct 16, 2017 7:54 pm

Heard quite a few the last two days in the Waioeka Gorge between Opotiki and Gisborne. Including a few individuals right above us, but hiding from view. My first of the year.
Paul Shortis
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Re: Long-tailed cuckoo arrivals

Postby Paul Shortis » Tue Oct 17, 2017 11:55 am

Just got back from a fishing trip to Turangi where we heard several on the Tongariro plus a fellow piscator saw and heard one on the Tauranga Taupo. Definitely a few around. As yet haven't heard one here in Masterton which is a bit strange as they are usually present by now.
Bennyboy87654
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Re: Long-tailed cuckoo arrivals

Postby Bennyboy87654 » Sat Nov 11, 2017 4:04 pm

saw and heard a Long Tailed Cuckoo on the Camp Saddle Track in Craigieburn Forest Park
blacksand.aotearoa
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Re: Long-tailed cuckoo arrivals

Postby blacksand.aotearoa » Mon Nov 27, 2017 11:58 pm

Just heard a long tailed cuckoo tonight. In Wellington, where they're not known to have established, and in Mt Victoria, a few km from the nearest whiteheads I'm aware of.

I had my doubts, given the previous thread on greenfinch/ long tails at Wellington Botanic Gardens, but I've checked those calls and this was definitely closer to the L/T shriek. I've found references to L/Ts in migration calling at night, so my guess is that's what it is - just a few km too far east to have chanced upon an undiscovered host population!

Calls heard from ~10m away; twice with the usual length pause. Then from 20+m once, then further again. Heard a few more times out the window, but all wanderings got a bit too close to car noise & it seemed far more mobile than me. Thought I had the call on video, but I'd been standing there *not* recording anything for two minutes.
sandyw
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Re: Long-tailed cuckoo arrivals

Postby sandyw » Sat Dec 30, 2017 8:29 pm

I was listening to a long tailed cuckoo today in the Tararuas, and then suddenly became surrounded by for or five apparently having a calling battle with the normal shriek and a chattering call as well. It went on for 10 minutes or more and was quite an experience. I had never seen this behaviour but it is described exactly in Heather & Robertson. Apparently they were males displaying and there would have been females watching the show.

Other than a glimpse as one flew off, I could not see them but I videoed to capture the calls. The files are pretty big - 127 & 255 MB - not sure if I can load them here. Does anyone know how to separate out the audio to reduce file size?

Location Marchant ridge south of the site of the old Dobson Hut.

Finally managed to separate out audio from video. Files attached. The smaller file is easier listening.

DSCN7323g.mp3 [ 1.47 MiB | Viewed 2613 times ]

DSCN7322g.mp3 [ 1.94 MiB | Viewed 2613 times ]

Last edited by sandyw on Tue Jan 30, 2018 8:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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AlanShaw
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Re: Long-tailed cuckoo arrivals

Postby AlanShaw » Sun Dec 31, 2017 8:57 am

Some video editing programs have the ability to separate the audio from the video and produce an audio only file. If you have an editing program check if it can do this. I can do it with Cyberlink Power Director.

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