Corncrakes return to Rathlin Island for first time in 30 years

Two pairs of corncrakes have been recorded on Rathlin Island for the first time in 30 years, with one of the males potentially ‘coupled up’ with two female birds.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Amy Forde on 28 Jul 2019

For the first time in 30 years, it has been confirmed that there are two pairs of corncrakes on Rathlin Island, off the coast of Ballycastle, Co Antrim.

The corncrake is a red-listed species in Ireland, meaning it is a bird of high conservation concern.

Rathlin is the only place in Northern Ireland where the birds have been heard in recent years, according to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

A male has been heard calling in one location on Rathlin each year since 2016 and now RSPB Northern Ireland staff have recorded two breeding males in two separate sites on the island this summer.

Known for their unmistakeable "crex-crex" call, corncrakes are highly secretive and like to settle in early growing tall vegetation such as nettles, cow parsley and irises.

One of the sites - in Church Bay - is on land owned by an islander but managed by RSPB NI that has had nettles planted by staff and teams of volunteers to encourage the birds – summer migrants from western Africa – to return to Rathlin.

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Positive signs for Rathlin Island corncrakes

8 May 2018

Few people in Northern Ireland will have ever heard the call of the once common corncrake, never mind seen one.

Modern farming methods are blamed as the prime factor for its retreat.

In a rare good news story for the migrant bird, a member of the rail family, it has been heard again on Rathlin Island, off the Antrim coast.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is crossing its fingers that the shy species on its red endangered list has returned to breed.

One of Ireland's rarest birds, the secretive creature has a distinctive call.

Its unmistakable "crex-crex" was heard in Rathlin at the weekend, much earlier in the season than usual, prompting hopes that it has successfully bred on the island where it had been heard and occasionally sighted in recent years.

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RSPB plans to coax corncrakes to land and breed on Rathlin Island

By Conor MacauleyBBC NI Agriculture & Environment Correspondent

3 March 2016

Conservationists are planting nettles on Rathlin Island in an attempt to trick an endangered species into landing and breeding there.

They hope to fool Scottish corncrakes flying from Africa to spring breeding grounds in the highlands.

Rathlin is in the flight path of the migrating birds, which were once common here, but have all but died out.

There is still a breeding population in Scotland and the RSPB hopes some may return to the County Antrim island.

Corncrake numbers began to decline in Northern Ireland with changes to farming.

Their crek-crek call was a signal that summer was on its way.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-35718644

First corncrake heard on Rathlin in over 15 years 'scared off by helicopter'

BY LINDA STEWART – 17 JUNE 2014

The first corncrake heard on Rathlin Island in more than 15 years has fallen silent – after a helicopter landed in the hayfield where it was calling.

RSPB staff, who had been battling to lure the species back to Northern Ireland after it went extinct here in the 1990s, said they were "devastated" that the disturbance appeared to have scared off the male bird.

"Rathlin Island is directly on the flight path for birds returning to breed on the islands of Islay, Colonsay and Oransay to the north," Peter Harper from RSPB Northern Ireland explained.

"To hear there was a calling bird on the island was just fantastic news and the longer he stayed the more likely it was that we could have breeding corncrake on Rathlin once again."

The Belfast Telegraph revealed that the corncrake had been heard calling from an uncropped hayfield in late May.

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