It seems relevant to mention that I heard my first cuckoo of the year yesterday, then heard two calling on the darkening this evening. Cuckoos are known for being shady and elusive characters, and before I began this project, I could count the number of times that I had seen one on the fingers of one hand. For some reason, the cuckoos on the Chayne are extremely conspicuous, and by May, they should be a common sight on the hill again. They are known for eating hairy caterpillars, and rubbing off the irritating bristles by scrubbing them on branches and posts. Given that the undergrowth is now alive with fox moth and drinker moth caterpillars, there will be no shortage of food for them this summer.
I will try to take a photograph of one this year, but until I manage it, I’ll have to make do with this photo which was found on Google.
Bog Myrtle & Peat 
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