NATURE NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18553, 10 November 1923, Page 1 (Supplement)

NATURE NOTES.

THE SHINING CUCKOO.

•BY J. DRUMMOND, F. 1..3.. V.Z.9. v The shining cuckoo's arrival this season has been welcomed in many places in New Zealand. The records show that true to its reputation as a herald of spring, " favours September and the beginning and middle of October as the time for ,, reaching .this country. One of ■ the migrants, her. 4 early in July, probably missed the general autumnal departure, and spent the winter here, but most of the records aru In September and October. The shining cuckoo seems to attract more attention than the long-tailed cuckoo. Its rich, brocaded coat and its pleasant notes, in contrast with the sober fustian and harsh, ill-natured, unmusical screeches of its congener, may account for the fact that, while this year some twenty records have been made of the shining cuckoo's arrival, only two correspondents refer to the long-tailed cuckoo. it is «i coincidence that other birds seem to have more ill-feeling towards the long-taned cuckoo than/ towards the shining cuckoo, althought both are parasitical, perhaps on account of the long-tailed cuckoo's hawklike head and countenance. Some of the neglect experienced by the long-tailed cuckoo at the hands oi humans might be due to the fact that it shuns human habitations more than the shHng cuckoo does. Most records of ' the shining cuckoo's appearance are made in gardens, or near residences. '•• , The following dates are supplied of the first time the shining cuckoo was seen or heard this season — . . July 4—Kiwhakunear Kawhia, west coast? Auckland province, Mrs. F. Cowcrn. "We heard the first cuckoos long-drawn-o; 1 notes twice succession on July 4 and 5, about 9 a.m." August 26— Mawhai, near Tokomaru, East Coast, North Island. Master C. Kirkham. *" While having breakfast we saw a shining cuckoo sitting on the top of a willow about two chains from the house.' September 17—Kawakawa, Bay of Islands, Mr. R. Bridge. " A few lines to let you know that your interesting feathered friend has made its welcome appearance here ; at least, September 17,' is the date on which we first heard his song. To-day, September 19, he is singing in great style." ."■'-•.-•■' September 23— Nihotupn, Auckland Province, Mr. M. J. Mueller, "Earner than last year here." . September : 25— Taumarnnui, Sister Alison, Presbyterian Maori Mission. "Its notes were heard near the river close to the town, but I ha"' not seen the lutJe songster." ; ' - September Woodlands Road, Waihi, Mr. T. Rapson. " Seen and heard in the morning. Shining cuckoos were plentiful in this locality, nine miles from Waihi, last season." September 26— Whaiti, TJrewera Conntrv Mr. H.Macnherson. "The notes were strong, but ended on ' the higher note. There seemed to be only one or : two songsters that day, but the following day there was quite a number of them, «nd the notes of the majority on that day ended on, the lower note." >:', !; „ s September 27—Te Kuiti. Mr. J. A. Pratt. " Heard 'in Rangitolo Ranges, ! about twelve miles from here. Th's date is two months earlier than the date on ; which I noted the cuckoo's arrival at Mokai last year." ■', ■■-' '.:.■' September —Mangahoe, Hunterville, Mr. A. Sutherland. ..." Heard on September 28, and seen on September 29. : In J February, my sister saw three •' young-' cuckoos beincc fed by as many (i»t> * warblers. ;.,■.; The cuckoos : ; almost were old ftnteu-'h to care for themselves. We might b? able to report on ; one or two in nests : .this season." •.,_,._,>..,>.,v.-,,.',;,-.„ jp ■ September ' 29 — Panares;-:- Otamatea C<"i»'y, AucVland ~ Province, - Mr. W. ;B ■ Wi.ikins. .>.:>" li should say that it f arrived this morning and wished to advertise : tiis fact. It appeared lin i the , same poplar tree as it was seen.in last year." s October s—New Plymouth. > Mr. W. W. Smith. " Arrived at 10.12 a.m.; at least : I first heard it this season* on that date and at that time. Shining cuckoos, are plentiful here every day now, October 10." .■.-/.;/'■- -.■.■■:-:■:::'■'■-■ ----- •.;/?.-..;; October Half moon Bav, Stewart Island, Mr. G. H. Marten. ■"- I had been listening for the notes for two weeks pre-" viously. A friend of mine heard them on October 3, a day earlier'than the date onwhich I heard the first notes last year." October Lydia Bay, Pelorous x \x-i *sd, ] Mr. :E. F. Paton. ." Note first heard on that date, but a friend told me ; that he heard .it at , Tunu . Bay regularly - since September 28." October 8, ;- Charteris . Bay, v Lyttelton ; Harbour, . Mr. Orten Bradley. "As j'i rule, October, 12 is the;date: -of ? arrival. ; Starlings often 1 imitate cuckoos' notes, bnt I made sure of the bird I heard being the ; right one' by seeing it." - v >.* c October 9—Karaka Downs, :; Aotea, {on the west coast of the Auckland Province, about ten miles % south . of -Raglan, Mr. * Edwin Trolove. "Heard S early v-ia% the I morning; went out about 7 a.m. and ■ heard it singing, • and. discovered it •■ in anf oak close to the house." . i , October 10Bracside, Potorua; Mrs. E. E. Kreft. 'It appeared in a willow near] the house, and seemed to be singing 'Let us ; rejoice and be glad.' • Very ■ early - in the morning of October 12 we heard the ' harsh note•! of a^long-tailed": cuckoo. ; ; It retired - before its enemy, ■the" tui;; came to ■ breakfast, abort 5.30 ; o'clock, ,;' or ;; the lucerne flowers." ' '" . '* i I : October 11— Matangirau, Whangaroa, i North Auckland, Master R. Bramby. "In \ the morning, when I was -milking,'.f my attention was drawn to an unusual noise, a '';. lons-drawn-out - whistle. V For f several seconds I listened ;, for :a ■' repetition. It came at last, and my' comDanion . and I recognised the notes ,of ■■ pini-wha-nm-r'vi. : We found the songster an a kauri not fur ! from; onr house.' » i X October 11— Waverley, Tarahaki,- Master W. Harper. " Saw it on an apple tree." ' October 16—Haruru Falls, better known as Waitangi Falls/ Bay of Islands, Mr. L. C. Goffe. • " For several years it has made its arrival known -in this :; district in ; August." ; : ;; ; ;;;:' '\ : }'-'."' •'" October 22Asbestos Cottage. 'near headwaters of Takaka River, Nelson, Mrs. H. F. Chaffey. ';' ; " The long-tailed cuckoo arrived the previous night at 8.10 p.m." -',;. October 22—Owen's , Road. Epsom, Auckland, Master G. Owen. "My father and I were walking to Newmarket along Gillie's Avenue. - A little way from ' the Newmarket school we heard a shining cuckoo whistling faintly. My mother heard it on October 21, and I heard it on October 23 near our house." ,: . October 23—K;iwitahi Railway, Mtrrinsville. Piako County, Mr. D. E. Bright well. " Heard it passing overhead about 8.30 p.m. Last year I saw one about October 7 in the Bay of Plenty, hut did not see anv others for almost a month :■'-"•''■ - October 26 —Stillwater, about nine miles from Grevmouth on the Otira line, Mr. E. L. Kehoe* Greymouth. "He was perched on a telegraph wire, and seemed to be quite happy in his song." • J U

I Writing from Asbestos Cottage, which rests picturesquely on the side of a I wooded hill above the Takaka River, I Nelson, Mrs. H. F. Chaff stated:—" On I August 19 two white swans came up from | the south looking very pretty with a I background of green forests. They flew above the river. Just ast I thought they i soon would be Out of sight they ;; came up towards the cottage, and settled -*n I large asbestos rocks close to it. ; They stayed from 9.40 a.m. to 10.30 ».m.V'ana; made a great noise. < One arose and Hew? around ; twice, and then both made . oh** north. ; It was a dull, damp day. I saw black swans i flying v over * the ;; hills on several '■ occasions. These were the first white swans I saw here. - The black ■/< ones are s :; noisy enough, but not nearly as ,/>noisy ,as the white ones."

The bellbird's beautiful notes are heard continuously now, and truly the time of singing :of . birds 'is': come.' ■< ' Mrs. E. C. Kreft wrote from Braeside, Rotorua;:; on October 15.