Saturday 18 May 2013

Corncrake.

A trip over to Iona with Doc to have a look for Corncrakes was quite productive. The day started off with rain but it was supposed to get clearer as the day went on. In cool and breezy conditions there was not a Corncrake to be heard! Things did improve but there were a few distractions along the way...Sedge Warbler ...
...Pied Wagtail...
...and some cracking views of Corncrake!
Other delights were some splendid Jackdaws...
...and plenty of tourist Corncrake - Song Thrush.
We spent a fair bit of time trying to track the Corncrake through the grass...
...watching them disappear into clumps of grass...
...and hiding in the brambles.
You could see them watching you...
...but they were showy too.
They may have stood in the open...
...but when they were face on they were surprisingly hard to pick up.
But how do you find the elusive Corncrake?
Just wait for them to start shouting!
A couple of Starling families were housed in the walls and not fussed by the passing humans.
A trip out to Staffa with Davy Kirkpatrick was well worth it. A couple of year ticks on the way there - Manx Shearwater and Purple Sandpiper plus a few Twite, Black Guillemot, Puffin...
...and a superb Great Skua.

2 comments:

lapland said...

Tried at Fire Station field last year and heard but not seen - nice one Bryan

Bryan Rains said...

The Fire Station is not the easiest of places to see Corncrake - better luck next time!