I spent a very happy hour on Inis Mór at the start of June watching three cuckoos chasing each other around a sycamore tree near Kilronan on the island (I spent an even happier hour at Tí Joe Watty’s but that’s another story).

Inis Mór is still a good place to see cuckoos, particularly when the males arrive – there aren’t many trees on the island so you can sometimes see them perched on chimneys instead. Their offspring will be preparing to set forth south shortly. A long journey ahead.