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ellesmere port, CHESHIRE, United Kingdom

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24 May 2016

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


Orkney
Holland House, North Ronaldsay, first-winter, 23rd October
Isles of Scilly
Trenoweth, St Mary's, 10th October, dead, 11th October
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
Isles of Scilly
Porthloo Lane, St Mary's, first-winter, 12th October, photo
Cheshire & Wirral
Red Rocks, Hoylake, Wirral, first-winter, 30th October, photo
Devon
Barnstaple, first-winter, caught 21st October, released 22nd October
Isles of Scilly
Borough/Telegraph area, St Mary's, 21st to 22nd October; same, Hugh Town, 23rd October, found dead on 24th October
Isles of Scilly
St Agnes, juvenile, 29th August; same, near Campsite, found dead, 30th August, photo
Cleveland/Yorkshire, North
Locke Park, Redcar, trapped, 23rd to 24th September
Devon
Lundy, first-winter male, 19th October, found dead 20th October, now at Leicester Museum
Cornwall
Gweek, moribund, 30th October
Shetland
Foula, picked up exhausted, 11th October, died 12th October, now at Natural History Museum, Tring (BMNH 1953.69.1)
Argyll
Achnaslishaig Hill, Southend, Kintyre, first-winter, 6th November, found dead, 8th November, now at Kelvingrove Museum & Art Gallery, Glasgow (GLAMG Z.1950.132)
Isles of Scilly
Tresco, immature, picked up dead after hitting wall, 27th October, photo, now at Isles of Scilly Museum















































































































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