Though we haven’t heard its welcome call at the time of writing, the cuckoo is probably here by now. And, the cuckoo also seems to be making landfall in Ireland earlier, following a perilous, 10,000km journey from Africa. Last year, our first official sighting was reported in Ballygunner, County Waterford, on April 2, a week earlier than in 2024. The country began to bloom, with plenty of new colour and growth adorning the landscape: like the cuckoo, omens of advancing summer. They winter in Africa and return to Ireland every spring where they nest, lay eggs and raise their chicks.

Source: Irish Examiner April 09, 2026 06:30 UTC