Almost every corner of the globe is home to a wide array of different organisms. But despite this diversity, there are groups of animals that share the most unlikely of similarities. Sticking to the UK, each week for 12 weeks I will test your skills in identifying 12 different organisms that share one characteristic. They can be a plant or a fungi, a bird or a mammal, a fish or an insect!MAGICAL MYSTERY QUIZ#6Clue: Always on time.
I was thinking the same Germain and I have now joined the flummoxed brigade but this time on the main land.
Regards Shane
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Is this the old poem about the arrival of the Cuckoo or am I on the wrong track again ?
Pete
Birding is for everyone no matter how good or bad we are at it,enjoy it while you can
Ah....Pete, you have cracked it :) yes there is an old poem about the Cuckoo and now Mrs T's first clue makes sense ....Cuckoo clock
No longer flummoxed of Jersey
Cin J
Well done Pete.
Good thinking, Pete. It seems so obvious when you've got the answer.
I found this link which shows why MrsT used such strange wording for the second clue.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumer_Is_Icumen_In
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Tony
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I remember having to study something about this in my last year at school(1959) no idea why,maybe it was modern poetry back then !!
Congratulations to all of you who guessed Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus). First a bit about the clues! First clue: Always on time. This refers to clocks which tell us the time and one would hope, reasonably accurately. The familiar Cuckoo clock features a small mechanical bird and is fitted with pipes and bellows, which imitate the characteristic call of the Cuckoo. The second clue: Sumer is icumen in. Cuckoo comes from the old French ‘Cucu’ which first appeared in 1240 in the poem ‘Sumer is icumen in’ (Summer has come in).
The Common cuckoo is a dove-sized bird with blue grey upper parts, head and chest with dark barred white under parts. It has a wingspan of 55-60cm, a slender body and short legs. Despite this, Collared doves and Sparrowhawks are often mistaken for them! During the breeding season, Cuckoos when sat on an open perch, exhibit drooped wings and a raised tail. Cuckoos arrive in the UK around April and depart around July/August time.
A picture of a Cuckoo is found here.
Did you know that: ‘Gowk’ is an old name for Cuckoo in northern England. It is said to have derived from the noise Cuckoo’s make when they are excited.
Keep an eye out for next week’s mystery quiz!
Take care,
Claire
Jennifer T said:Did you know that: ‘Gowk’ is an old name for Cuckoo in northern England. It is said to have derived from the noise Cuckoo’s make when they are excited.
There an old medieval road in our recording area called "Gowk (or Gawk) Hall Gate" the hall being a largish building shaped rock,gate an old term for a road and Gowk the local old term for Cuckoo.