Four calling male corncrakes have been recorded on Rathlin Island to date this year.
It is the first time since the late 1970s/early 1980s that four birds have been recorded.
One of the rarest birds on the island of Ireland - a red-listed species - it is a bird of high conservation concern.
Numbers have been in sharp decline since the 1980s and Rathlin is the only place in Northern Ireland home to this species.
Attraction
For the last six years, at least one calling male has been heard.
This year, two males arrived in late April and are established on the island, with their behaviour indicating they have attracted mates, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) said.
BBC News
Published
Four rare male birds have been recorded on Rathlin Island, off the County Antrim coast.
It is the highest number of calling male corncrakes to be confirmed on the island in about 40 years.
The corncrake is one of NI s rarest birds, known for its distinctive call.
Rathlin is the only place in NI where the species can be found, and is the focus of conservation efforts by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds NI (RSPB NI). Over the years, I could see the decline happening before my eyes; the corncrakes just weren t there any more. So to have four birds is quite something, says our Rathlin warden Liam. Listen to a corncrake call below and read more about the good news here: https://t.co/eFcSsVIT4kpic.twitter.com/muX9ppOaxs RSPB NI (@RSPBNI) May 6, 2021
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Golden eagle poisoned deliberately on Aberdeenshire estate
Updated: 05/05/2021, 4:04 pm
A golden eagle was found dead on a rural estate in Aberdeenshire (Phil Wilkinson/PA)
A golden eagle was deliberately poisoned on a rural estate in Aberdeenshire, police said.
The bird of prey was found dead on a hillside on the Invercauld Estate, in the heart of the Cairngorms, near Crathie on March 19 after being illegally targeted with a toxic substance.
Police Scotland said officers searched a number of properties on the estate on Tuesday as they continue carrying out inquiries. No arrests have been made.
Detective Chief Superintendent Gary Cunningham, the force’s wildlife crime lead, said: “Scotland’s rich, rare and diverse wildlife and landscapes are among its biggest attractions.