BLACK BILLED CUCKOO-NORTH UIST

I was playing snooker in my local club on sunday evening when Fred fearn texted me to say that a Black billed cuckoo had been found at Bayhead on North Uist.I made a few phone calls and there was only Pete antrobus who was up for the long trip north.The snooker game was soon over and I was running home to get things sorted to make the ferry from Uig first thing in the morning.I picked Pete up around 9pm from Northwich and we headed north arriving at Uig just before 6.00am.I couldn't sleep and spent the next few hours birding around the harbour as the ferry wasen't till 9.40.

 COMMON SANDPIPER

 SEDGE WARBLER

 SONG THRUSH

LINNET

The ferry terminal office didn't open till 9.00am and we hadn't booked the car on the ferry but thankfully there was enough room and we were on and then a shout came out the bird was still there!

By now all the usual faces had arrived,all we needed now was the ferry.

The ferry arrived on time and we off.We saw Black guillimt,Puffin,Guillimot,Razorbill,Great Skua,Arctic Skua,Black and Red Throated diver and White Tailed eagle on the crossing and had constant updates on the cuckoo on the way over.

PETE WITH A SMILE ON HIS FACE KNOWING HES GOING TO GET ONE AHEAD OF FRED WITH THE BLACK BILLED CUCKOO

ARRIVING AT LOCHMADDY

The ferry soon docked and we were driving over North Uist in a birding convoy.On arrival the bird was showing in a bush in someones garden.What a bird I never thought i'd ever see one of these yank beauties.

BLACK BILLED CUCKOO

The cuckoo was happily feeding on caterpillars and flying around whilst we were there.Everyone that was there including pete were very happy gripping back this mega bird.

HAPPY TWITCHERS

After watching the cuckoo we headed back to Lochmaddy to find some accommodation for the night and a celebratory pint.We managed to get in at the local hostel which was cheap as chips for the night and then went for a pint.

ME AND PETE IN THE LOCHMADDY HOTEL 

After a few pints and the sleeping arrangments sorted we headed back out birding.First stop was the RSPB reserve at Balranald where we soon connected with Corncrake,up to four birds were calling and one showed briefly.A Glaucous gull was in the near by fields and also Corn buntings were singing away.The beach held good numbers of Dunlin and Sanderling.

GLAUCOUS GULL

 

Corn Bunting

THE BEACH AT BALRANALD

 SANDERLING

DUNLIN

Moving on from here we did an Island loop back to Lochmaddy. We had great views of Golden eagle around the north of the Island and also found four Whooper swans.After a great day we headed out for a well deserved meal and a few pints.
Awoke this morning at 6.00am to get on the ferry back to Uig, I was still absolutely shattered.I drove on the ferry and slept all the way back to Uig.

LEAVING UIG AND HEADING SOUTH

ME TAKING A DRIVING BREAK AT GLEN COE

I eventually arrived home at 8.00pm after a great twitch,shattered from the long drive but it was well worth it.

There are 14 previous records in Britain,the last twitchable bird was on the Scillies in 1982 which stayed for 3 Days.
PREVIOUS BLACK BILLED CUCKOO RECORDS

2014

Orkney

Holland House, North Ronaldsay, first-winter, 23rd October

1990

Isles of Scilly

Trenoweth, St Mary's, 10th October, dead, 11th October

1989

At sea

Sea area Forties, Maureen oil platform, 58°08'N 01°42'E, found exhausted 30th September, taken into care, released 1st October, photo

1985

Isles of Scilly

Porthloo Lane, St Mary's, first-winter, 12th October, photo

1982

Cheshire & Wirral

Red Rocks, Hoylake, Wirral, first-winter, 30th October, photo

1982

Devon

Barnstaple, first-winter, caught 21st October, released 22nd October

1982

Isles of Scilly

Borough/Telegraph area, St Mary's, 21st to 22nd October; same, Hugh Town, 23rd October, found dead on 24th October

1982

Isles of Scilly

St Agnes, juvenile, 29th August; same, near Campsite, found dead, 30th August, photo

1975

Cleveland/Yorkshire, North

Locke Park, Redcar, trapped, 23rd to 24th September

1967

Devon

Lundy, first-winter male, 19th October, found dead 20th October, now at Leicester Museum

1965

Cornwall

Gweek, moribund, 30th October

1953

Shetland

Foula, picked up exhausted, 11th October, died 12th October, now at Natural History Museum, Tring (BMNH 1953.69.1)

1950

Argyll

Achnaslishaig Hill, Southend, Kintyre, first-winter, 6th November, found dead, 8th November, now at Kelvingrove Museum & Art Gallery, Glasgow (GLAMG Z.1950.132)

1932

Isles of Scilly

Tresco, immature, picked up dead after hitting wall, 27th October, photo, now at Isles of Scilly Museum