The number of corncrakes - a rare bird wiped out from most of the country apart from the Scottish islands - in Orkney this summer has dropped significantly from last year. During the survey period 20 May - 10 July, 14 calling male corncrakes were counted, compared to 32 in 2012.
The RSPB in Orkney has run a long-term 'Corncrake Initiative', protecting the birds by working with farmers to maintain their habitats. Although numbers of the birds around the islands are low, there has been a slow and steady upward trend in Orkney over the last 20 years:
A similar fall in numbers of corncrakes this year has been reported from other places, including Coll in the western isles - one of the last areas where the birds are common. Reasons for this year's decline could be a cooler, later spring hampering the birds' migration back from central Africa, or poor breeding success last year.
Of the 14 corncrakes heard, 8 were in the same place for more than 10 days, suggesting a breeding attempt. As the birds are rarely seen - only heard - and only the males call, it is difficult to look at breeding success more closely.
This year's corncrakes were heard in Westray (6), West Mainland (2), Flotta (2), East Mainland (1), Sanday (1), Shapinsay (1) and South Ronaldsay (1). The RSPB hope that this year's disappointing count is a blip in the fortunes of the corncrake in Orkney, which had been looking like something of a success story.