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True, I can't exactly be called a hardcore birdwatcher. You know, the ones that do a big travel abroad, or drive 100km, with the sole objective to try and see that specific species. But I've been watching wildlife for 20 years now, and am blessed to have seen A LOT of species, not only birds, and not only above water.
  
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Nevertheless, there are those species that I've only seen maybe a couple of times in my whole life, and it's really cool when you are lucky enough to see them! And for this #featheredfriday, I'll share two of them! Saw them both recently and on the same day, while visiting friends in the countryside.

<center>![dzs8j75ykm.jpg](https://img.esteem.ws/dzs8j75ykm.jpg)</center>
<center><sup> Northern weathear / Chasco cinzento (PT) - *Oenanthe oenanthe*, male </sup></center>

The last (and only) time I had see this cute guy was in Spain, in a natural park called Picos de Europa. Weathears have a characteristic colour pattern on their tails, that helps in the identification: tails are normally white, with an inverted black "T", meaning a black band on the tip of the tail feathers and a central black stripe.

<center>![ulocbj54gi.jpg](https://img.esteem.ws/ulocbj54gi.jpg)</center>

Males in the spring are easy to identify, with grey crown and upper parts, and a ocular black stripe that's easily seen.

<center>![qui2dh9c4g.jpg](https://img.esteem.ws/qui2dh9c4g.jpg)</center>

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The second one was a great sight; it was the second time I saw it... and the first time was also in this location, the last time I visited the same friends! They are now my official cuckoo lucky charms!

<center>![fish7am0ht.jpg](https://img.esteem.ws/fish7am0ht.jpg)</center>
<center><sup> Great spotted cuckoo / Cuco rabilongo (PT) - *Clamator glandarius* </sup></center>

There are only 2 cuckoo species here in Portugal, and this one normally "parasites" the nests from members of the crow family (Cuckoos don't make nests, they choose a nest from another bird, and place their own egg there, leaving the task of hatching and feeding their baby to the other birds)

<center>![1or3towji0.jpg](https://img.esteem.ws/1or3towji0.jpg)</center>

No difference between sexes, and there's actually no other bird similar here: big bird, dark upperparts  with white spots, and pale abdomen and chest. The black cap on the juveniles turns grey as an adult, so this one was probably a young bird.

<center>![xomq9abrjc.jpg](https://img.esteem.ws/xomq9abrjc.jpg)</center>

Great spotted cuckoos are a lot more difficult to see than Northern wheatears, since they are only here for a few months. Maybe for some other birders these ones are common, it's funny how some bird species seem to be very frequent observations for some, and a mirage for others. As for me, these two were on the podium of my trip!

Happy birding everyone!

<center>![rgazlbwpwi.png](https://img.esteem.ws/rgazlbwpwi.png)</center>

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