Cuckoo

It was interesting to see how abundant the Cuckoo is in Hungary, both the lowlands and hill country.  At Monor near Budapest there were at least half a dozen males competing for the females and a great opportunity to see behaviour that would be difficult to see on the home patch given the way things are with Cuckoo populations in the UK.  Large catepillar food seemed in plentiful supply.

The lower image was taken in the Hortobagy where this female had been watched hawking Sparrowhawk-like over the reeds waiting to lay in the warbler nests.  This is behaviour I hadn't seen before first-hand.