In early June I had an opportunity to capture some images of Cuckoos before they return to Southern Africa. This meant a very early get-up as I left home at 2:30am to get in situ ready for the first light of the day. I have recently purchased a camouflaged hide for this very purpose so off I went full of hope and expectation. Bearing in mind that these once common birds are now on the ‘Red List’, which places them on the endangered list in the Uk, I would be limited to two hours maximum in their company. I was not disappointed in any way as I was treated to a stunning wild show of these beautiful parasitic birds, in fact I got so many fantastic images that I will split them in to a few postings to highlight various traits and behaviours. First up are some shots of a female of the species, the identifier being the brownish plumage on the upper breast area and a slightly slimmer body shape.