I enjoyed a really great day on Dartmoor yesterday, one of those special days that are hard to repeat and money couldn't buy.  My first stop was with the Redstarts, I wanted to see how they were getting on, had the weekends walker and birdwatchers been too much for them or would everything be progressing nicely. i am glad to say that it was the latter and they were coming and going with, sometimes, large prey items as you can see. I tried, in fact I know I did not disturb them at all which is just the way it should be. I filled an 8gb memory card with wonderful images and you can view more  (as well as these 2) by clicking on the link here.

 After a sensible time with the Redstarts I moved well away and set up my Chair Hide very close to a Cuckoo territory that I know and sat it out. I was hoping to get a close up shot with the hide positioned to give me a variety of good views. An interesting dead tree trunk, Rowan trees and the wall where I had photographed one on my last visit. It was, and always is, a waiting game and yesterday I did 3, well almost 4 hours of it, just hoping and keeping my fingers crossed that mine and the cuckoo's path would cross. Had I chosen my site wisely? …….. Almost is the answer.  As is usual there were long stretches with nothing happening at all and other moments of extreme excitement and tension. One hectic few minutes at around 6 o'clock, a cuckoo was calling to my left from the open moor and it got nearer and nearer, increasing in volume. I saw not one, but 2 birds as they literally passed over my head only a few feet from me, interestingly and of not, he was calling as he flew.  I prayed that they would land on the wall but they didn't, preferring to go in to the tall conifers and out of sight to my right. There was a lot of noise and then I could hear them in the distance as they continued their manic chase. Another time a bird was very close and it went on calling and calling very loudly for at least 15 minutes off and on.Here is a recording of this Cuckoo. For the musically minded of you and as a trained musicain, I can tell you that this bird is calling an interval of a  Major 3rd The higher note being a concert E and the lower not is C but a little on the sharp side. Download Cuckoo I never dead catch sight of it perched but when it took off it flew  fast and straight in front of me to a spot quite a distance away and carried one calling out. Very frustrating. Other times I saw birds swooping about but they just didn't come close enough to photograph. Other interesting birds was a Hobby which flew over head and past me several times, once with prey in it's talons and also a Tree Pipit sat on the very top of a tall conifer, again to my right. Tree Pipit is one of those birds that you could confuse with a meadow but having seen this one yesterday, even though it was quite distant there was no mistaking it. Larger with a fuller beak, different facial  pattern and less streaked flanks. This is without checking a field guide but that was what jumped out at me!