2008 Shining Cuckoo Arrival Records
October 2, 2008
Shining Cuckoo Records 1-30 Sept 2008.
The eBird/ Birding-NZ Shining cuckoo arrival mini-census was a great
success with more than 40 people reporting the date they first heard
cuckoos in their area. Although we still don't have any records from
Otago its time to tally up the results.
The first
record for the spring was a bird heard on the first of Sept by Ian
Purden & John Wilson from Waikino between Paeroa and Waihi.
Records
came from as far afield as Akaroa and Northland but I'm afraid there is
no clear
pattern. Cuckoos either fly directly to their home territory (no matter
where it is in the country) or they do not call until they get there. A
couple of late records in the north of the South Island are a
tantallising glimpse into what may be happening.
The mean date of arrival in an area was the 20th Sept. It will take a few more years of data before we will be able to say catagorically whether the date of first arrival is getting earlier. It is possible that the very early birds represent birds that are over-wintering.
There have not been any records of Long-tailed Cuckoo this year.
Thanks to all that provided records. And to those that haven't already why not try entering them in eBird. Its easy and just look how a few simple records have allowed us to tell an interesting story.
