I found this book fascinating beyond all expectation. I had watched the BBC film of Nick Davies' work on Cuckoos, listened to his Radio 4 programme and even heard him featured on the excellent Life Scientific presented by Jim Al-Khalili. So I rather complacently thought I had heard it all. How wrong !
The book describes Nick Davies' work on Cuckoos at Wicken Fen over a thirty year period and looks at the whole process of host nest selection, timing and the remarkably speedy laying of the egg with elegant clarity. The mimicry of the host's egg which might seem to be a simple fact turns out to be a finely balanced 'arms race' between the Cuckoo and the host which is Reed Warbler at this Wicken Fen site. He goes on to describe other devices of deceit used this time by the young Cuckoo in the nest.
Nick Davies' work involves devising some intricate experiments to test his ideas; these are often complex but he describes them with great simplicity. He also weaves a good deal of humour into his account which is continually gripping and reads just like a good detective novel.
The book was enthralling from start to finish and includes a scattering of field drawings by James McCallum - a great favourite of mine.
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