Bird Arrivals 2021

Heard our first cuckoo of the year this morning, and cherry on the cake, our first hoopoe !

Which migratory birds has everyone else seen / heard in their area, marking the arrival of spring / summer ?

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We saw one swallow the other day. I will report back when his mates arrive.

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Cuckoo three weeks ago, trying to convince a young woodpecker at 7am this morning that the logs in the wheelbarrow for the fire outside our bedroom window were not a tree anymore and to bog off :roll_eyes::laughing:

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Cuckoo yesterday in Moussac (86)

We have them all around at the moment, giving me cause for concern about the state of our trees that they’ve been digging in🙄

Sodding neighbour has let his pigeons out…damn things sit above out bedroom window (no doubt waiting for our veg garden to grow so they can ravage it).

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Heard the cuckoo this week and also saw a hoopoe 2 days ago

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No sign of cuckoos here yet. I’ve never seen or heard a hoopoe - you certainly get some exotic birds in your area(s) :cry:

None so far here in the Clunysois.
We love hearing the golden oriole with its lovely fluting call. Hardly ever see it though as it is so shy.

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How wonderful, Jane! Never seen or heard that one either. Perhaps when things are more appropriate for travel, I need to go a bit south (not in August though… :hot_face:

The hoopoe were out again this morning, between 8 and 9:30, they seem to favour mornings for their noisemaking!

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We have just heard our first hoopoe whilst having lunch on the terrace.

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My husband can do a brilliant imitation of the call of the golden oriole, which often brings them hopping and slinking through the branches to see who’s on their territory. We are looking forward to hearing them, and the hoopoe here in Nievre 58. The storks arrived a few weeks ago, and the cranes have now flown north. The bird life here is an utter joy…hirondelles de fenêtre next we hope!

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A male stonechat decided to show up yesterday, hopping around on top of the juniper bush, still no sign of the orioles though so far, but given how cold it has been, not really surprising !

The hoopoe are still around, which is a good sign, as it means they have found food and nesting areas !
This pic from the other evening:

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