I'll try the yellow-billed call tomorrow.  I'm sure I saw and heard one in my back yard today.

Marcia in Brownsville



-----Original Message-----
From: Richard Guthrie <[log in to unmask]>
To: VTBIRD <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sat, Jun 9, 2012 8:24 pm
Subject: Re: [VTBIRD] Black-billed Cuckoo---a slightly funny story


Nice story. 
A good way to get a look at them:
You can call in Black-billed (and for that matter, Yellow-billed) Cuckoos
ith a reasonably good imitation of their song: a somewhat hollow whistle
hat sounds like a rapid "Coo-coo-coo" repeated three or four times. The
ellow-billed is just the one note: slower, hollow and descending, repeated
everal times. It really works. They are suckers for the sound.
Try it. But, be sure to let the little guy win. Stop soon and go away. Let
im be king of the hill.
They also are responsive to imitated whistles of the Screech Owl whistles.
Rich Guthrie
ew Baltimore
he Greene County
ew York
[log in to unmask]

----Original Message-----
rom: Vermont Birds [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Martha
cClintock
ent: Saturday, June 09, 2012 4:14 PM
o: [log in to unmask]
ubject: [VTBIRD] Black-billed Cuckoo---a slightly funny story
Bill is an early riser.  I struggle to get up...not a good trait for a
anna-be-birder!  But Bill gets up at 5:00 to walk every morning before work
nd, when he has enough dynamite to rouse me, I join him.  On Tuesday, he
an in from a solo trip to tell me about a new and different bird he had
een and heard.  After some searching of the bird book and listening to All
bout Birds, he decided that it was a Black-billed Cuckoo.
 I got up with him on Wednesday.  No sight and no sound from the Cuckoo.
Thursday, I slept and Bill went out with the binoculars.  Sure enough, a
lear view that confirmed the Cuckoo.
Friday, I joined him.  You guessed it....no sight nor sound of the Cuckoo.
I was beginning to suspect a giant hoax to get me out of bed! But I got up
ith him today and heard its unmistakable song!  Unfortunately, it came from
he far side of a field so I did not see it.  On the other hand, I will keep
etting up until I can add that the BB Cuckoo to my life list.
Happy Birding,
artha