The other night Anna dragged me outside at around midnight. The reason for this was not because of some domestic but because Anna is obsessed by how light it currently is as we approach Mid Summer ( Hah! Summer! ) it barely gets dark and it is very true that you can read a newspaper in this light.

So there we were just looking around and admiring the calm loch on this still night. There were a number of birds flying around and calling to each other as well as telling us to ‘bugger off’ and get away from their nests when we heard it……..

I made a recording on my phone which you can hear

…… a Corncrake! Now these small birds are very rare and you have to report if you hear one as they are trying to re-establish them in Orkney. Like a lot of birds they have been hit by changes in farming and Corncrake nest in long grass, not ideal when the farmer comes along and cuts it for the very necessary silage that will feed their animals during the winter.

We have had the song confirmed and have reported it to the RSPB, how exciting!