Comments on: How to Identify a Cuckoo ~ What Do Cuckoos Look Like ? http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/how-to-identify-a-cuckoo-what-do-cuckoos-look-like A Site About Everything and Nothing Thu, 17 May 2012 22:31:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.2 Comment on How to Identify a Cuckoo ~ What Do Cuckoos Look Like ? by: Rod http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/how-to-identify-a-cuckoo-what-do-cuckoos-look-like#comment-19765 Fri, 20 May 2011 15:17:56 +0000 http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/how-to-identify-a-cuckoo-what-do-cuckoos-look-like#comment-19765 Amazingly I heard the Cuckoo yesterday and today for the first time this year - check the date of this comment and the one on the original post !!!! Amazingly I heard the Cuckoo yesterday and today for the first time this year - check the date of this comment and the one on the original post !!!!

]]> Comment on How to Identify a Cuckoo ~ What Do Cuckoos Look Like ? by: Amiguru http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/how-to-identify-a-cuckoo-what-do-cuckoos-look-like#comment-15685 Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:58:02 +0000 http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/how-to-identify-a-cuckoo-what-do-cuckoos-look-like#comment-15685 Elsa, First of all, on Rod's behalf, may I welcome you to the site. Sorry I didn't notice earlier your comment in the cascade. It is not easy to give a definitive answer to your question from a brief description but I suggest you 'Google' "cuckoo" under 'Images' and see if any come close to what you saw. The following hints might be useful in making up your mind. Male birds of any species tend to be more 'colourful'. <i>"distinctive black markings down the back"</i> would make me query the ID as a cuckoo because though the male has blackish wings and tail I wouldn't say 'distinctive black <b>markings</b>'. There is no problem with 1000 feet but they would need to be within easy reach of woodland, or at least trees. They do feed on the ground on beetles and the like so no problem there. The cuckoo inhabits as far as Scandinavia in summer so no problem with Peebleshire. Cuckoos are now on the 'red' endangered list so if that is what you have, welcome them! I shall have further thoughts as to what else they might be and get back to you in due course. Even if we don't resolve your question, do have a look around as there is a lot of fascinating stuff here, not just Lincolnshire orientated. :) Regards, Neville Elsa,

First of all, on Rod’s behalf, may I welcome you to the site.

Sorry I didn’t notice earlier your comment in the cascade. It is not easy to give a definitive answer to your question from a brief description but I suggest you ‘Google’ “cuckoo” under ‘Images’ and see if any come close to what you saw. The following hints might be useful in making up your mind.

Male birds of any species tend to be more ‘colourful’. “distinctive black markings down the back” would make me query the ID as a cuckoo because though the male has blackish wings and tail I wouldn’t say ‘distinctive black markings‘.
There is no problem with 1000 feet but they would need to be within easy reach of woodland, or at least trees. They do feed on the ground on beetles and the like so no problem there.
The cuckoo inhabits as far as Scandinavia in summer so no problem with Peebleshire. Cuckoos are now on the ‘red’ endangered list so if that is what you have, welcome them!

I shall have further thoughts as to what else they might be and get back to you in due course. Even if we don’t resolve your question, do have a look around as there is a lot of fascinating stuff here, not just Lincolnshire orientated. :)

Regards,
Neville

]]> Comment on How to Identify a Cuckoo ~ What Do Cuckoos Look Like ? by: Elsa Green http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/how-to-identify-a-cuckoo-what-do-cuckoos-look-like#comment-15678 Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:07:59 +0000 http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/how-to-identify-a-cuckoo-what-do-cuckoos-look-like#comment-15678 Hullo Neville, trying to identify a pair of birds seen one morning recently in our garden in the grass. The size I suspect of a cuckoo, white, grey and with distinctive black markings down the back. Is this a male cuckoo? We do hear cuckoos earlier in the year but never seen them and amongst the very variable birds around here it has not been seen in our garden before. Unfortunately I didn't manage to gat a photo. WE are at almost 1000 feet here in Peeblesshire , Scotland. Can you help? Elsa. Hullo Neville, trying to identify a pair of birds seen one morning recently in our garden in the grass. The size I suspect of a cuckoo, white, grey and with distinctive black markings down the back. Is this a male cuckoo?

We do hear cuckoos earlier in the year but never seen them and amongst the very variable birds around here it has not been seen in our garden before. Unfortunately I didn’t manage to gat a photo. WE are at almost 1000 feet here in Peeblesshire , Scotland.

Can you help? Elsa.

]]> Comment on How to Identify a Cuckoo ~ What Do Cuckoos Look Like ? by: Amiguru http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/how-to-identify-a-cuckoo-what-do-cuckoos-look-like#comment-13689 Wed, 26 May 2010 09:32:28 +0000 http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/how-to-identify-a-cuckoo-what-do-cuckoos-look-like#comment-13689 Rod, A Rod's mini-WAB sounds like a good idea :) For me ISO, (pseudo film speed), isn't quite so relevant so yay or nay, as you will, depends what others would like. Don't want to make a big fuss of this as it does then become a bit nerdy. I can see what you mean about the underline issue, thanks for that. Regards, Neville Rod,

A Rod’s mini-WAB sounds like a good idea :)

For me ISO, (pseudo film speed), isn’t quite so relevant so yay or nay, as you will, depends what others would like. Don’t want to make a big fuss of this as it does then become a bit nerdy.

I can see what you mean about the underline issue, thanks for that.

Regards,
Neville

]]> Comment on How to Identify a Cuckoo ~ What Do Cuckoos Look Like ? by: Rod http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/how-to-identify-a-cuckoo-what-do-cuckoos-look-like#comment-13683 Wed, 26 May 2010 06:03:57 +0000 http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/how-to-identify-a-cuckoo-what-do-cuckoos-look-like#comment-13683 Neville, OK, got that (also ISO I presume ?), I wonder whether a thread on bird pictures would be worthwhile ? I'm doing a lot of experimenting so it may be worth documenting how it's going - just a thought. It could then be added to as and when <i>allow bbcode for underscore</i> it's because this is a <u>proper website</u> ;) Certain html tags work in comments but most HTML is stripped out of comments because I have to be careful what people put onto the site. Allowing users to post their own content is a potential minefield Neville. As to underscores, with respect I think they're a bad idea as they're synonymous with links, especially nowadays as many sites have gone away from default blue link anchor text. To stress something I think bold or italic should be fine, to me caps lock is shouting. Sorry for the inconvenience Regards Rod Neville,
OK, got that (also ISO I presume ?), I wonder whether a thread on bird pictures would be worthwhile ?
I’m doing a lot of experimenting so it may be worth documenting how it’s going - just a thought.
It could then be added to as and when

allow bbcode for underscore
it’s because this is a proper website ;)

Certain html tags work in comments but most HTML is stripped out of comments because I have to be careful what people put onto the site.
Allowing users to post their own content is a potential minefield Neville.
As to underscores, with respect I think they’re a bad idea as they’re synonymous with links, especially nowadays as many sites have gone away from default blue link anchor text.

To stress something I think bold or italic should be fine, to me caps lock is shouting.
Sorry for the inconvenience

Regards
Rod

]]> Comment on How to Identify a Cuckoo ~ What Do Cuckoos Look Like ? by: Amiguru http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/how-to-identify-a-cuckoo-what-do-cuckoos-look-like#comment-13680 Tue, 25 May 2010 20:23:38 +0000 http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/how-to-identify-a-cuckoo-what-do-cuckoos-look-like#comment-13680 Rod, <i>"If picture info is of interest then I can add some, exactly what info would you like to see ?"</i> For <i>my</i> choice it would be stop size, shutter speed, focal length of lens and tripod or hand-held. Not really trying to get too technical, just interested as to how these impinge upon the image. This would only apply to natural history subjects as for others it doesn't impinge on the results much. Another technical query...why won't Wordpress allow bbcode for underscore as emboldening is a bit extreme sometimes...as if shouting? Regards, Neville Rod,

“If picture info is of interest then I can add some, exactly what info would you like to see ?”
For my choice it would be stop size, shutter speed, focal length of lens and tripod or hand-held. Not really trying to get too technical, just interested as to how these impinge upon the image. This would only apply to natural history subjects as for others it doesn’t impinge on the results much.

Another technical query…why won’t Wordpress allow bbcode for underscore as emboldening is a bit extreme sometimes…as if shouting?

Regards,
Neville

]]> Comment on How to Identify a Cuckoo ~ What Do Cuckoos Look Like ? by: Little Brother http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/how-to-identify-a-cuckoo-what-do-cuckoos-look-like#comment-13676 Tue, 25 May 2010 15:35:17 +0000 http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/how-to-identify-a-cuckoo-what-do-cuckoos-look-like#comment-13676 Rod, Lovely picture, well captured. LB Rod,
Lovely picture, well captured.

LB

]]> Comment on How to Identify a Cuckoo ~ What Do Cuckoos Look Like ? by: Rod http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/how-to-identify-a-cuckoo-what-do-cuckoos-look-like#comment-13674 Tue, 25 May 2010 15:14:50 +0000 http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/how-to-identify-a-cuckoo-what-do-cuckoos-look-like#comment-13674 Neville, that sounds like a real Boy's Own Adventure Story - Germany's a great place, I've been many times and would happily go again if they somehow made it contiguous with Lincolnshire :) If picture info is of interest then I can add some, exactly what info would you like to see ? Best Rod Neville,
that sounds like a real Boy’s Own Adventure Story - Germany’s a great place, I’ve been many times and would happily go again if they somehow made it contiguous with Lincolnshire :)

If picture info is of interest then I can add some, exactly what info would you like to see ?
Best
Rod

]]> Comment on How to Identify a Cuckoo ~ What Do Cuckoos Look Like ? by: Amiguru http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/how-to-identify-a-cuckoo-what-do-cuckoos-look-like#comment-13673 Tue, 25 May 2010 11:40:49 +0000 http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/how-to-identify-a-cuckoo-what-do-cuckoos-look-like#comment-13673 Rod, Magnificent picture and well worth the stalk. Strangely, I heard my first cuckoo of the year yesterday, however, it would have been a waste of time turning over my wallet as it was totally empty at the time! That action may well have kept it empty.... <i>"Right back to boyhood and a forest in Germany"</i> Ye gods Rod you seem to have followed in my footsteps in many ways! I went to Germany for 6 weeks when I was 16 in 1958 and was based at a <b>monastery</b> in the foothills of the Bavarian Alps. One day my German friend and I were caught out in total blackness descending a 6000 ft. forested mountain scree slope and I at one point was dangling by my elbows over a precipice :( Thanks for the support in lobbying for info Rev, its not boring is it? We'll be asking for exif data and histograms next ;) Regards, Neville Rod,

Magnificent picture and well worth the stalk. Strangely, I heard my first cuckoo of the year yesterday, however, it would have been a waste of time turning over my wallet as it was totally empty at the time! That action may well have kept it empty….

“Right back to boyhood and a forest in Germany” Ye gods Rod you seem to have followed in my footsteps in many ways! I went to Germany for 6 weeks when I was 16 in 1958 and was based at a monastery in the foothills of the Bavarian Alps. One day my German friend and I were caught out in total blackness descending a 6000 ft. forested mountain scree slope and I at one point was dangling by my elbows over a precipice :(

Thanks for the support in lobbying for info Rev, its not boring is it? We’ll be asking for exif data and histograms next ;)

Regards,
Neville

]]> Comment on How to Identify a Cuckoo ~ What Do Cuckoos Look Like ? by: Rod http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/how-to-identify-a-cuckoo-what-do-cuckoos-look-like#comment-13671 Tue, 25 May 2010 06:28:14 +0000 http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/how-to-identify-a-cuckoo-what-do-cuckoos-look-like#comment-13671 Rev Enant, thanks for taking the time to comment, welcome to the site and hope to hear from you again. Boring info as requested, F: 5.0 Shutter speed: 1/800 ISO: 400 I had no idea about the toes Rev, I think I would agree with you about the anecdotal evidence regarding their numbers, I'm not sure I heard on e last year either. I'll report back if I hear any more elsewhere, so far 2 and counting. I'll work on the bat ;) - I know I missed a Marsh Harrier and a Bittern ysterday :( Still plenty to go at Thanks again Rev All the best Rod Rev Enant,
thanks for taking the time to comment, welcome to the site and hope to hear from you again.

Boring info as requested,
F: 5.0
Shutter speed: 1/800
ISO: 400

I had no idea about the toes Rev, I think I would agree with you about the anecdotal evidence regarding their numbers, I’m not sure I heard on e last year either.
I’ll report back if I hear any more elsewhere, so far 2 and counting.

I’ll work on the bat ;) - I know I missed a Marsh Harrier and a Bittern ysterday :(
Still plenty to go at
Thanks again Rev
All the best
Rod

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