Photo: Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)
This year there were a total of 17 confirmed calling males across the county, a drop from last year’s 36. Nine males were confirmed calling on Mainland, 5 on Westray, 2 on Shapinsay and 1 on Sanday.
The poor weather this spring may have meant that fewer corncrakes made the journey to Orkney, with strong north winds and heavy rain around the time birds were returning.
The weather also affected the growth of vegetation that provides corncrakes with cover when they arrive, with noticeably less grass available than last year. This may have forced the birds into poorer habitat and possibly made them more vulnerable to predators.
In order for their population to remain stable, corncrakes need to produce one successful brood. If their numbers are to increase, they need to produce two successful broods.
Through the Orkney Corncrake Initiative, we can offer to pay farmers to delay their silage mowing until mid-August and ideally into September, buying time for the corncrakes to raise their chicks undisturbed when they are found to be nesting in fields.
Many corncrakes were found in natural vegetation at the start of this season, only later moving into silage fields. With farmers faced with one of the worst harvests in history, it was difficult to ask anyone to delay their mowing. Four agreements were signed this year.
With many birds sheltering in natural cover early in the season, we hope these males found a female and were successful in producing at least one brood. We will only find out next year when hopefully we hear their ‘crexing’ call in Orkney again. Meanwhile we’re working on figures from across Scotland to get an idea of the national picture and will post again soon about that.
Thank you to everyone who reported a calling corncrake - your help is vital every year in helping us locate all of the birds. A special thank you also to the farmers who were able to help the corncrakes in such a difficult year.