SEPTEMBER 2006

Donegal Corncrakes on the up for the third year running

The number of Corncrakes in Donegal has risen for the third year running. The BirdWatch Ireland annual census confirmed 108 calling males, up from 104 last year.

The first Corncrake of the year was heard very early, on 8th April, on Tory, but most birds turned up in late April or early May. Although Corncrakes usually stay in the same few fields all summer, this year saw a change in behaviour, in that some birds seen to have been on the move during he season. They were heard calling at their first location for a month to 6 weeks and then heard no more. Within a week or two, they were found calling from a new location, where they tended to stay for the rest of the summer, although some birds moved for a second time.

One interesting report was of a hen and three Corncrake chicks seen during mowing in Seedagh in Fanad. Sandy Alcorn, the Donegal Corncrake fieldworker, said "The farmer just happened to notice a bird flying out of the last few swards in the middle of the field, and thought "That looks like a Corncrake!" He stopped mowing and went to investigate and found three half-grown chicks running around in the standing grass. He tried his best to chase them out but they kept running back in, so fair play to him, he decided to leave the last two swards uncut. Then he rang me and I checked my maps, we realised that the nearest calling male was heard at Devlinreagh, near Carrickart, about a mile away on the opposite side of Mulroy Bay. This goes to show that, although the hen bird usually nests within 250 metres of where the male is calling, this isn't always the case."

Sandy said "This year, as usual, the Corncrakes grant scheme was very well supported and I'd like to say a big "Thank you" to everyone who participated. I'd also like to thank everyone who reported birds to the Corncrake Hotline - we had over 200 calls this year which shows the level of local interest and concern. Because Corncrakes usually stop calling around the middle of July, it wasn't possible to confirm several birds that were reported to the Corncrake Hotline late in the season, but we'll be checking out these sites next year.

The Corncrake grant scheme, which is funded by the National Parks & Wildlife Service of the Department of Environment, Heritage, and Local Government, will be continued in Donegal next year, so everyone who hears a Corncrake next summer is encouraged to ring the Hotline on 074 9165117.

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