Cuckoo sees stars...
>> Tuesday, September 27, 2016 –
birds
...and it wasn't because he was pining for some chocolatey breakfast cereal either. Walking through the maypop trellis yesterday I was startled by a flapping of wings.
A cuckoo! I've never seen a cuckoo before* but somehow knew immediately what it was. Why was it hanging out down in the corner here?
Looking up my fear was confirmed:
It had flown into the window!
At least it was still moving around and seemed aware of its surroundings; no visible injury. This terrible zoomed phone photo shows how I first saw it, after the fluttering:
Later it was more composed and relaxed (and hiding):
Luckily it landed over here, slightly to the right.
(It's in the center of the photo.)
If it had fallen straight below the window...
...it would have had a more uncomfortable time of things I think.
A short while later it was gone. All signs point toward it recovering its senses and flying away.
So my first cuckoo sighting ended well. Whew!
*Well, maybe I've seen one once or twice before, but not for years and years, and not that I clearly remember. It could actually be my first sighting.
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You're kidding?! There are cuckoos in E MO?? How did I live a life there and not know this?
Great photos!
At first I was looking at the dry leaves thinking frogs. I didn't see right away the big bird center picture.
I've lived here in the St. Louis area my entire life and have never seen a cuckoo, (bird, that is), ever before. I hope it survived and thrives. There is a Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center in the Overland area if you ever come across a severely injured or grounded bird. Your beautiful, lush garden and yard attract the most interesting wildlife.
I've never seen a cuckoo. What a cool sighting. Never washing our windows is all about being bird friendly and has nothing at all to do with my laziness.