Extra Ears brings Home the Bacon.

Kicked off at 1000hrs which is my earliest weekday start. Thought I would have a change today and decided on Carloggas Downs hoping for a Cuckoo. It was quite chilly at the top of the Downs and although the birds were flying about they were extremely wary and I never managed one reasonable photograph. What I saw was ..A Raven, Countless Skylarks and a Handful of Meadow Pipits , six Greenfinch, Stonechats and Corvids.
On to PBP at 1115 hrs and I happened to bump into Mark Whittaker on the car park.
We joined up and went to see if the Warblers were singing in the reed beds. Although the first ten minutes we saw nothing ..Mark was making hand signals of how many birds were singing...I think the best count was probably eight. The Cetti's Warbler was singing close by and we had a brief glimpse of it as it disappeared into the reeds. Then things started to happen...we saw Sedge Warblers and Reed Warblers and believe it or not...two more (at least) clear views of the Cetti's Warbler. Once in the Bushes and the clear view in the close by Tree. Neither of us was quick enough to get a photograph although I was watching through the bins on the last occasion and the bird was in clear view to me but somewhat shielded from Mark who was ready but the Cetti's dropped down into the undergrowth.
This evening I again went to the Downs 2015hrs and as I was driving up saw the Cuckoo in exactly the same place as I photographed it last year on my birthday June 6th. I did photograph it from one hundred yards in bad light and a very low shutter speed hand held ..so even though it is clearly a Cuckoo I will not be putting it up.

So a roundup of the day.
No Life Ticks
Three Year Ticks .
Three Patch Ticks
Six Patch Year Ticks.

A good day I reckon and special thanks to Mark Whittaker who provided the ears and expertise. Thanks Mark.