With heavy dew on the ground at work I determined to go and listen out for some of these cuckoos this morning, not having heard one this year. Success at Birk Bank with at least one, possibly two but it was breezy so hard to pinpoint. Travelled on to Littledale and the Roeburndale Road with no further success. Parked up for a listen at approx SD 566630 opposite the Tunnel Plantation. After about 10 minutes the trees in front got noisy and a tawny owl flew out to a new branch by the road followed by a mobbing crew of mostly tit spp, blackbirds and a song thrush. Interestingly amongst them was a very smart male pied flycatcher and a male redstart. The owl changed branches several times then flew deeper into the trees out of sight, giving up on the pestering it was receiving. The mobbing crew dispersed immediately. Question. Is this a known area for either pied flycatcher or redstart? It was a great 10 minute spectacle.
