I heard a Yellow-billed Cuckoo yesterday when I was out for my walk. Sibley’s range map shows them as a summer resident on – or just over the Tennessee line, and a migrant just a little south of there. Since I haven’t heard them all summer – and they have a very distinctive call – my guess is that the migration has begun. We’ve also seen lots more geese than usual, trading up Cutcane to and from the old quarry, which points to the same thing.
The Yellow-bill is a kind of a quiet bird, just sitting in a tree. Its curved bill is distinctive. as are the polka dots an their tail feathers. You’ll kid of see those flashing when they fly. They’re one of our favorite yard birds.