ALTHOUGH they are often heard, such is the secretive nature of Corncrakes that they are seldom seen.
Imagine the excitement, then, for birders carrying out an early morning seabird survey one spring morning on the west side of the Hebridean island of Tiree.
At first they were unable to identify two birds "careering in" over the sea, but, as the mysterious creatures crash-landed into an iris bed, the penny dropped - the birds were corncrakes arriving after a long night migration which had begun weeks early in Africa.
The incident is described in his absorbing new book, Birdland, by former BBC Wales arts and media correspondent Jon Gower who travelled the length of England, Scotland and Wales not just to watch and hear some of Britain's most charismatic birds but also to interview experts who dedicate their lives to these species and their conservation.
Other places featured in his fascinating 'pilgrimage' include Insh Marshes in the Cairngorms (Curlew), Newcastle-upon-Tyne (Kittiwake), Gibraltar Point (Knot), Leigh-on-Sea (Brent Goose), Canterbury (Turtle Dove) and Bardsey Island (Manx Shearwater).
Towards the end of his journey, the author takes a trip to Wiltshire to update himself on the progress of Great Bustards which seem to be flourishing on Ministry of Defence land on Salisbury Plain since the launch of a restoration project in the early 2000s.
Long-term there are hopes that homes for these magnificent landbirds might also be found in Cambridgeshire, East Anglia and Lincolnshire, but only if there are sufficiently expansive tracts of suitable habitat..
Writes Gower: "Great distance is a key concept when imagining the Bustard's eye view of the world as they only feel safe when they have clear views of two thirds of a mile or more and that on at least three sides.
Oh yes, and, and, as leans from his guide, Tilllie Waight of the Great Bustard Group, the birds only seem to nest on south-facing slopes.
As befits someone who grew up in the same part of the world as Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, Gower has a colourful way of writing as for instance when he describes Puffins as "miniaturised Italian baritones striding breast-high among the sea-thrift".
Adding a further dimension to the rich narrative are the frequent references to how birds have often influenced great art and literature.
Subtitled A Journey Around Britain on The Wing, Birdland is published by Manchester-based Harper North at £22 in hardback.