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Bird Sightings : Hebrides : Corncrake
Corncrake
Crex crex
Photograph © Debbie Bozkurt
Loch Paible - North Uist - Outer Hebrides (Western Isles)
27 May 2007"...at the Bird Reserve.... out of the car, still with my camera around my neck. And then in the small field next door I heard a creaking and then a head popped up. It came ever nearer and then dashed across the road into the next field. It took nearly 60 pictures to get about 8. The sun was very bright and some were distorted and I think the majority I was sooooo excited the camera shook too much..."
Our corncrake phototographs :
Corncrake Corncrake
Corncrake notes
In 1993 there were only 470 calling male Corncrakes recorded in Scotland, and the species was considered as heading toward extinction (as breeders) in the UK.
Crofters and farmers, RSPB Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs have worked together toward halting the species decline.
In 2006 as a result of this work 1,141 calling males were recorded in Scotland.The highest number recorded by RSPB Scotland in 28 years.
Male Corncrakes calling in the Western Isles 2006 430 2005 428 2004 585 (The figures above are unverified)
Naomi Mitchison, born 1897 wrote "he said it over and over again like a corncrake...."
Rather well put.
A male corncrake can call 20,000 times in one night, can be heard a mile away, and can call without pause for 6 hours.
The main period for calling is between midnight and 3am.
(under your bedroom window just when it is hot enough to want to leave it open...)
Debbie's online photo album
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