The Corncrake

It used to be widely believed that the Corncrake made it familiar ‘crek, crek’ sound by lying on it’s back and rubbing it’s legs together. It was also believed that said corncrake was under the impression as it lay on its back, that these same legs were holding up the sky. 

“May you never see a corncrake again” was an old curse wishing you never to see beyond the following spring as the Corncrake is a summer visitor only.

 A wary, secretive bird, the Corncrake favours hay meadows for their nest which they build on the ground hidden in tall vegetation.