A migrant cuckoo visitor

 I would have thought it's rather late in the season to expect to see the Indian Cuckoo (Cuculus micropterus)  but not at all after all, as this sub-adult male appeared unexpectedly.

It should be making its way home soon, perhaps to Siberia, China or Korea.

This sub-adult is generally browner from crown to its upper-parts compared to the grey of the adult, and broad white tips on its head and tip feathers.  As common with other cuckoos, this one seems to favour hairy caterpillars too.

22/2020

It was sitting pretty for a while but guess none should be fooled in the case of any cuckoo as it would be scanning all the time for a catch.

As it turned around suddenly, it flew even closer to where I was, scanning openly.

And the next thing I knew it had flown into the tree across, dense, so I lost it until it emerged to clean its bill, so another successful catch.

Young Cuckoo

I almost missed it in the backlight as it looked like a single brown leaf on a bare branch until I walked past and something got me to look back.  So, the young Indian Cuckoo was still around but I guessed as it grew it's now more skittish because it took off instantly as it sensed me, not to return as I waited.  Also, it was nowhere to be seen as I tried to seek it out.
Nevertheless I'm still keen to track its presence in the taman as I'm unsure if this is a resident or migrant.

A pleasant Cuckoo encounter, again

I thought the young Indian Cuckoo had left but was pleasantly surprised to walk up to it as it swooped in for a meal.

And then it was gone but not before leaving me with an elegant pose!

Cuckoo treat

Sometimes a bird is so confiding that one gets carried away with clicking at it.  This is the case with this young Indian Cuckoo that when I checked my download it was to discover that I had one too many (really an understatement! and not to sound ungrateful too!), and it took a while to select the favs. And so the delayed posting ....

I went round in search of the young Indian Cuckoo when was told that it had been seen in another part of the taman, little did I know that I would cross path with it, just as it was aiming for a prey.  And a fat one it managed to get!

I supposed my presence prevented it from devouring its catch immediately.

It continued to look my way as it held on to the larva, giving me a priceless shot!

This hold-on went on for seconds.

As expected it had to hit the larva before swallowing it.

Finally it hopped round to face me.

Looked like it was finally going to swallow it.

Nope, it took another try before it was finally gone.

Then I couldn't walk away simply because it was still there!  I had to know what it was up to next, perhaps going for another catch.
Whatever it was it allowed me to encircle it trying to better my shots.

And then it performed, perhaps a bird got tired too if it perched in one position for too long.  First to flex was its wings, then a leg.

Then a bonus round when it turned its back to me, and continued!

And then it was all over as it took off.

Perhaps a cuckoo resident

The young Indian Cuckoo looks like it'll be around for a while.  Not a surprise, going by the abundant worm prey in the taman.  

Another catch.

And it gave me ample opportunities to admire its gorgeous plumage.

 

A little hop and it's back to its favoured perch.

Cuckoo returns

I knew I would encounter the Indian Cuckoo again and I did.  A situation unwittingly created - I was getting increasingly dismayed for the lack of avian variety sighted and so started my wayward whistling and I think flushing it out!  And there it was - I was literally taken aback when a winged one sped out, and then it was a shot in the dark because I almost lost it over the wide field, something different from the glance of it.

Having deposited my shot, I tried to approach it but as usual being open has its bane.  However I managed to get a couple more shots before it flew back to where it came from.  So at last, the one I've been waiting for, even though it's only a sub-adult male!

Thus started a search for it, and found it keeping to upper canopy.

It would only oblige by coming down one branch lower.  Nevertheless, thanks for the sight, and hoping to catch it again!