I’d be interested to hear of any local observations of when migrating cuckoos arrived this season.
I’ve been unable to make other than fleeting visits to the bush over recent weeks but finally got out to Mia Mia Track last weekend. The bush was alive with the familiar calls of three cuckoo species – Fan-tailed and Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoos were most prominent but I also heard a couple of Shining Bronze-cuckoos.
The arrival of cuckoos in the Newstead district typically heralds the onset of spring – a welcome prospect after a cold but refreshingly wet winter.
Fan-tailed Cuckoo calling, Mia Mia Track area, 14th August 2016
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Natural Newstead 
Last Sunday was definitely the first time I heard a Fan-tailed Cuckoo.
Sometime in the preceding week – not sure exactly when – I first heard a Horsfields Bronze-cuckoo.
Incidentally I saw the first lizard of the season emerging from a hole on Monday, the earliest I have observed any lizard. A Striped Skink.
Thanks Alison – seems like the influx has just happened.
Cheers, geoff
Hi Geoff, the first fantail arrived here on the 4th August , some 3 weeks earlier than usual . A golden whistler is already here and I have heard a fleeting restless flycatcher ………
I know you would have been doing good work over recent weeks( a good way to spend a wondrously wet winter)
but I have missed you!
Thanks Cathy – bit earlier down your way which is interesting. Have there been many fantails or bronze cuckoos about?
Cheers, geoff
No bronzes yet Geoff. Though as I said the fantails arrived on Aug 4th .
I usually don’t hear the horsfield yet…. maybe mid September . The shining is not so common here…. though visits not infrequently .
Geoff, I heard a Pallid Cuckoo calling near the Maldon Bill Wood full Reserve, a couple of days ago. Does it have another name?
Hi Marie – that’s an interesting early record. Pallid Cuckoos typically arrive in Newstead about two weeks after the Fan-tails and Bronze-cuckoos. Pallid Cuckoos are sometimes known as the Brain fever bird.
Cheers, geoff
First cuckoo calls heard at Strangways: Horsfield’s Sunday 24 July; Shining Saturday 13 August; Fan-tailed Sunday 14 August. All three calling strongly at times last weekend. Curiously we had a female Fan-tailed Cuckoo hanging around in our fruit trees on 13 June.
First butterflies for the season: Painted Ladies feeding on rosemary flowers 15 August.
Thanks for the note Kate – that’s a very early record for the HBC – well done! Must pop out for a visit.
Cheers, geoff
Thought it might be worth adding my last 2 years Strangways records for comparison: Horsfield’s 15/8/2014, 29/7/2015; Shining 27/7/2014, 2/8/2015; Fan-tailed 30/8/2014, 15/8/2015; Pallid 29/8/2014, 31/8/2015.
Fan-tailed Cuckoo in Creswick 15th August – 2 weeks early. No Bronze-Cuckoos as yet.
Lovely colours
On Wed, Aug 17, 2016 at 8:22 PM, Natural Newstead wrote:
> Geoff Park posted: “I’d be interested to hear of any local observations of > when migrating cuckoos arrived this season. I’ve been unable to make other > than fleeting visits to the bush over recent weeks but finally got out to > Mia Mia Track last weekend. The bush was alive w” >
Fairly sure I saw the first koel here, a male flying overhead, when I was out walking this morning. Haven’t heard any calling yet. I don’t get satin bowerbirds in suburbia, who look similar, but I get lots of koels. There are several native figs, which they love. I’m hoping a fairly tame female will return again, which will make it the fourth season. She will eat from my hand sometimes and is quite beautiful. Finding one house in Newcastle after a migration from the tropics is pretty epic.
Fan-tailed cuckoo: first heard and seen on Norwood Hill last Saturday 13 August.
Incidentally also saw my first Leopard Orchid for the season that day!
Heard Horsefield Bronze most mornings from Mid July in Campbells Creek. Sorry can’t tell you the exact date.