While the start of summer for many means picnics in the park, BBQ's on the beach or a cheeky gin in the garden, for the Islay RSPB team it heralds the start of night time corncrake surveys. These ellusive but loud characters migrate over from Africa at the start of spring and upon arrival call constantly, until settling upon a more relaxed midnight routine later on in the season. While the majority of human residents on Islay are turning in, the bleary eyed team head out to various corners of the island to count and map the calling males, who prefer still, warm nights the most (incidently also fanatstic conditions for midgies).
Often heard rather than seen, we have been incredibly lucky with some impressive views of the corncrake already this year. In particular one very obliging male has been popping up in the field below the Loch Gruinart visitors centre. Handy. To continue with the previous talents witnessed in the last blog, here is a fabulous photo taken with a phone and a telescope:
I know, I know, my talents are wasted here.
Someone with far greater skills emailed in some fanatstic snaps; Jo was holidaying with family recently and was lucky enough to see a calling male pop his head up at the reserve.
Definitely a corncrake this one.
Thanks for sending these in Jo!