Huerfano County Udpate: BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO IN THE YARD!

[Polly Neldner]

We have been hearing, quite distant and not distinct a continuous po po po po, pause, po, po, po, po, pause, po po po po call for the last three days. Could never locate it and could not be sure until this evening while having dinner on the side porch when we heard the same call...much closer. Dinner was forgotten as we left the porch to track down the bird. The chase started in the northwest corner of our lot. I admit I cheated and used playback. The Black-billed Cuckoo responded with vigor and popped up briefly before circling the house and landing in the large Box Elder just off the front porch...calling continuously! Oddly this is the same tree and almost the same branch where we saw our first Yellow-billed Cuckoo 4 years ago! We have renamed the tree "The Cuckoo Tree".

Quite exciting for this is a lifer for both of us and yard bird # 158!

Posted a photo to CFO Facebook page and entered a record with CBRC.

Polly Wren and Paul Neldner

La Veta, CO