Only the second record for the Lower 48. Found this morning (9/28) by Steve Gerow in Watsonville, CA. I was grateful to spend time with this heart-stopping, staggering rarity this afternoon.
My only decent underwing shot.
The bird did have a prominent white nape patch, which is more associated with Oriental Cuckoo.
The all-important rump shot. This is the best way to tell Oriental and Common Cuckoos apart. Common Cuckoo has a relatively plain, unbarred rump.
This bird was very proud of its rump.
I guess you made the move north at just the right time! Great stuff.
ReplyDeleteHaha, definitely...no complaints here.
DeleteAwesome bird, Steve. And, it is right to be proud of that rump!
ReplyDeleteIt is a rump to die for.
DeleteRed shoulder hawk came in and ruined the party this evening. Cuckoo bailed North. Just missed you, but got to see the bird in the willows and then fly right over head. You got some nice shots. What a silly bird.
ReplyDeleteI have an emotional hangover today from seeing the bird.
DeleteDang...still can't believe that's a real sighting. I saw it on eBird and sent you the link. Guess you were wayyy ahead (of course). Totally nuts. When/where was thew other record?
ReplyDeleteSeriously...I feel like it's totally pointless to go out birding this weekend, because nothing will be near as awesome as this (probably in my entire birding career). Words fail. Damn you Seagull!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe other record was some time ago in Martha's Vineyard, MA. The only other continental record is from Anchorage, AK.
DeleteDont lose hope Laurence. Go birding!
Belas fotografias de lindos Pássaros....
ReplyDeleteCumprimentos
Muchas gracias Fernando!
DeleteCage bird?
ReplyDeleteAs they say in this bird's native land, "nyet".
DeleteWow... HUGE congrats on this rarity Steve!
ReplyDeleteThank you. I am considering throwing myself a party.
DeleteSo cool! Glad you're the 7th best birder in the world and could bring us those decent quality images for photodocumentation.
ReplyDeleteThanks Robert. Im pretty stoked.
DeleteAh yes, one of those birds that is so rare that I have no idea what it is. Nice job. Party hard.
ReplyDeleteCongrats Seagull, but you might want to show the pics to Felonious to check the ID. I live in the land of a million Common Cuckoos (Germany), and while the species may vary across its Eurasian race, I'd be thrilled witless if I saw such a cuckoo here: it looks very, very different from "our" brown morph female Common Cuckoos. Might it be an even RARER species?
ReplyDeleteCheers, Jochen (Roeder)
I'd love to hear more Jochen...I'll send you an email soon.
Delete