The big picture

A particularly famous Common Cuckoo that is set to break longevity records is this month’s talking point.

The Common Cuckoo in this photo is probably the most famous of his kind. ‘Colin’, as he’s affectionately known, is a particularly tame individual that has returned to his Thursley Common haunt for at least a seventh summer. His confiding nature and regular location means birders and photographers travel from far and wide to get up close and personal with a species that is often rather elusive. An assortment of perches and a regular food supply have kept both photographers and Colin happy since 2015, which was the first year he was known to have shown so well at the Surrey site. On 4 April this year he was back again, meaning he will be at least seven years old this summer. This is especially notable, not least because the oldest known Common Cuckoo is aged 6 years, 11 months and 2 days (an adult trapped and ringed on 5 June 1976 at Wicken Fen, Cambridgeshire, and again at the same site on 7 May 1983).

When you consider the formidable hazards Colin faces on his migrations to and from central Africa it is even more remarkable that he has reached such an age. A small dark blotch at the bottom of his right iris has helped identify Colin since his early years, confirming that it is indeed the same bird returning each year. Clearly, his tameness and occasional reliance on human-supplied food hasn’t impacted him too much, as he enjoys another summer on the common. Whether he will return in 2022 remains to be seen. Whatever the case, Colin the Thursley Cuckoo has put smiles on plenty of birders’ faces during the last few years. ■