The Corncrake and the Croft

[@davidgillies5342]

My late father, who passed away last year, was the youngest son of a crofter on The Isle of Skye. I myself can remember the call of the Corncrake at Linicro. It still can be heard across at Monkstadt. My Dad loved the sound of the Skylarks and Lapwings,which have returned to Linicro.

[@janoginski5557]

It reminds me of home. Although not in the Islands but in Perthshire it is incredibly reminiscent, I loved the sound of the rising skylark, one of the first bird songs of the Spring when l used to feed the cattle in the meadows of the low hill I would look up to the blue sky & watch the beautiful little beast hovering about. And the Lapwings which we always called Peweets and the Oyster Catchers. Not to mention the Hooper Swans. Lovely memories.

[@annegribben444]

David.... hello from New Zealand.... the birds were amazing and to Have bird lovers come out for a day or a night to just go out looking at the birds would be a great way to earn extra....that's what some islands do here .... and its very special to have those trips available... just simple trips no fanfare ..no shops take yr own lunch etc.. sleeping bags ..no one lives on some areas ..just a DEPARTMENT of CONSERVATION hut here and there no more. Now there was a BEAUTIFUL bird on this film with no name given ..it was a big bird with a swan like long regal neck .like a swan.... colour smokey grey all over short feathers ... but it had bright white markings like small white lines painted around its neck and top of body and head ..ABSOLUTELY bright white ..perfectly marked never seen anything like it ... I would LOVE TO KNOW THE NAME .... CAN ANYONE HELP ME GET THE NAME ? It seemed to be ? A stork swan size ...with the long elegant neck ..... Thankyou for this treasure of a film..... the life offers far more than the mind and eye can see ..far far more .....and nothing can buy those deep riches.. Blessings to all.

[@janoginski5557]

@@annegribben444 hi Anne it's a Hooper Swan. With its haunting call. Every year several of them wud be flying back & forth over the Farm /Estate between ponds & Lochs, their flight path passed one of the lovely cottages. A beautiful site and sound. The Estate held an enormous variety of Bird Life, from the Riparian way up to the High Hills, waders & ducks, Curlews, and Lapwings, Snow Buntings in the Winter, the skylark's & then the Cuckoo. And Raptors from Kestrels to Golden Eagles on the Hill. Capercaillies and Red Grouse & Red legged Partridge. And the occasional exotic visitors. A Hoopo was seen in one of the Old Woods. A pretty astonishing place. Hope that was helpful.

[@annegribben444]

@@janoginski5557 oh beautiful.... Your naming the birds .. Is like poetry....without sounding silly... .MAGIC... Its humbling the beauty of nature ... MANY THANKS ... BLESSINGS ...

[@annegribben444]

@@janoginski5557 in A THANKYOU....I will offer you THE NZ BELL BIRD ( KORIMAKO) in MAORI to listen to ... And the TUI... Many thanks for your help...

[@yarlkymcfirblatherington9879]

Happily, we have corn crakes in our valley here in Portugal. Before relocating here, we lived in Caithness for many years. I dearly miss the calls of the curlew and lapwing in spring and in high summer, the night time song of the sedge warbler.

[@madcarew5168]

The world about us was a fantastic series.....not diverse enough for these days,thank god,keep some history of this once pleasant land un corrupted!!🎉

[@laetitialogan2002]

Christmas 95, I had the pleasure of being invited to the isle of Lewis...to Colin McLeods parents house. The four of us flew from London including his soon to be bride. The welcome that awaited us was second to none. As an Irish person, it was home away from home. Hogmany was a real experience..whiskey, a pot of soup on the go, sandwiches etc. We saw the big brown hairy cattle and visited a croft or two. I was pleasantly surprised with the similarities in the languages of the outer Hebrides and Ireland...and of couse by Colin's mother...a wonderful hostess and a lovely lady...Laetitia Logan..Ireland . I hope the Mc Leod family are doing well...

[@hrafnofthule5962]

It can still be heard in Malin Head Co. Donegal Ireland.

[@janm2473]

So fabulous!! Finlay Macdonald has a treasured voice to deliver this epic history...

[@lisadolan689]

We have a sheep station way outback of NSW in Australia. One of my fondest memories as a child was using the manual hay cutter to make chaff for the sheep. Seeing the men chaffing hay, hit me hard in the feels. It’s the first time I’ve never ever seen another old chaffing scythe in action 🥹🥹 Thank you from Australia, ten years after production.

[@algrant5293]

Its funny the things that tug at the heart strings.

[@MyKharli]

Sheep are by far and away the worst thing for the countryside and mostly subsidized at that . Its a crying shame the ancient wooded hills and fields turned to barren, eroded , treeless wildlife free animal storage lots .

[@iainmacinnes1660]

You’ve got it wrong. The narrator is not dismal, and the crofting life, although hard is rewarding. They relied on each other which as a way of life is hard to beat.

[@robertboyle2573]

My family always watched the world about us in the seventies. The music at the beginning is very memorable.

[@icefrost061manc2]

The opening music was great... Never forget the gold earth shape object

[@stephenrice4554]

It was one of the best programmes to be sure 👍

[@julieblackstock8650]

same Id forgotten the music

[@janoginski5557]

A great documentary & insight into a different World. I’ve been there in the now distant Past Times. I was touched by Alistairs comments but if you ever read this, on coming to the “Mainland” my strong advice is don’t, you are in a far better place living your Life far away from it. The further the better. Hope you have had a rich & fulfilling Life in a beautiful untouched World that has all but gone now.

[@johndaarteest]

That intro music I haven't heard in decades, that takes me back. Wow!

[@sidensvans67]

Excellent video with wonderful narration .

[@colinmayes9446]

An excellent video, thank you.

[@catherinelavender3630]

I thoroughly enjoyed this, thank you

[@jackharrison6771]

A wonderful video, thanks for posting. .I toured the North and West of Scotland, for seven years under canvas, but I only got to Skye, Mull and Iona. I still have an urge to visit Lewis and drive the whole way to Bara; whilst I can still drive. . I discovered the Hebridean Trilogy of novels by Peter May, a year or two back; and can recommend them. I found a special sort of silence in the Highlands and islands, and I don't think one can truly love that region, without liking that atmosphere.

[@momasu]

I drove a hired car from Barra up to Lewis and across to Ullapool about ten years ago. Sleeping in the car, and listening to Chinese music, which fitted the peaty landscapes of North Uist oddly well.

[@jackharrison6771]

​@@momasu I used to sleep in the car often on trips to the Lakes etc, so we made an extra day of it. But our Scottish tours were always with the tent. Far better than Majorca etc.

[@MrDaiseymay]

When the BBC made great series of general history and the 'World About us'. etc etc etc.

[@ianjthompson4715]

Hopefully I will be going on a weeks Bird Watching holiday in 2018 with my RSPB Local Group to the Outer Hebrides. This video has wetted my appetite for that holiday.

[@autodidact2499]

It's probably quite "wet" in the Outer Hebrides, but that's not what "whets" your appetite, Ian.

[@roydone9372]

A very informative and interesting video. My wife and I visited the Hebrides a few years ago, if we had seen this beforehand we would have had much better experience. A great video.

[@chrisb4504]

The World About Us 😮 that’s a flash back to better times. The music was instantly recognised brilliant

[@marierobson8144]

Wonderful film, thank you!

[@thomasbaillie-carrigan3100]

Beautiful. Thank You.

[@julianholman7379]

apparently the harsh squawk of the corncrake displays complex melodic character when a recordingof it can be slowed down by some factor

[@pibly7784]

Great video. Thanks for posting.

[@paulsee2]

The opening music gave me chills, not heard it in maybe 40 years

[@misterfishisme]

What a wonderful voice Finlay J MacDonald has. Anyone know where I can find his series of radio talks, Crottle & White and Crowdie and Cream?

[@dianeharris8315]

amazon x

[@nledaig]

He modified his accent to suit the Gall.

[@nomore2001]

You can really hear the norse influence on the accent

[@patrickredican358]

va very skillfull treatment of a very beautiful subject

[@djrichylaurence8991]

Used to watch these avidly as a kid.

[@brianmarshall1637]

A super video,pity about the problems of life on uist,the far m subsidies will be sorely needed.if they qualify which I hope they do.

[@iseegoodandbad6758]

Such tall beautiful people despite their extreme poverty!!

[@jaybc36]

The last time I heard a corncrake was on Iona next the Abbey in 1970

[@philipmcdonagh1094]

Ah 1977 just a few years before everything went pear shaped.

[@johngordon1576]

At 13:06 you can see the 'golf ball' on the hill that housed the NATO early warning radar shield against Soviet attack during the Cold War... somewhat of a contrast with the crofting life.

[@frankschlanker]

One word "beautiful"

[@Shanoodz]

6:14 I was not ready

[@holygalaga]

thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@complexlittlepirate3589]

What is the beautiful bird at 23:51, please? Thank you.

[@momasu]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-throated_loon

[@complexlittlepirate3589]

Thank you!@@momasu

[@ironix1]

Black Throated diver (Gavia arctica)

[@complexlittlepirate3589]

Thank you!@@ironix1

[@stefenney3126]

The geese coming in to land appeared to be Whitefronts, not Greylags ?

[@Lemma01]

Poor Wee Jocky. Only 150 on Uist in the 1970s, and the islands cannot support more. Now, there's 4,700 living there (2015) - quite the mystery. Perhaps they're farming swans? Or just working from home?

[@tripzville7569]

This is the future not the past. The meek shall inherit the earth.

[@MyKharli]

Or as its now known , the lack of corncrake and the sileage .

[@ACshinealight]

Has anyone read Callum’s Road ?

[@nledaig]

Sea eagles take living lamb. Crows and ravens and farspaigean also predate on lambs and sheep in distress.

[@shetlandsheep3081]

I had a newborn shetland twin lamb taken by a golden eagle on my place in the Aberdeenshire Cairngorms. It is unusual but it absolutely happens!

[@ElevatorGalleryLondon]

But where is Rowan Morrison?

[@fatheroblivion45]

:D

[@TheDAT9]

This film was made when the BBC served some useful purpose.

[@cleopatra5682]

Wow the presenters Welsh accent is beautiful 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@BadgerBotherer1]

Scottish.

[@cleopatra5682]

@@BadgerBotherer1 Nooo way Badger that’s was Welsh 🤣

[@BadgerBotherer1]

@@cleopatra5682 I've lived in Wales for 37 years, but have Scottish ancestry. The narrator is Scottish, you fool!

[@traceybell1216]

You've obviously never been to either Wales or Scotland!!

[@cleopatra5682]

@@traceybell1216 Iv been to Wales to visit family my mother is Welsh!

[@Raekken1]

I love BBC!

[@pamelawoodall5891]

I despise BBC.

[@Oenols]

The conservatives never care about the corn crake. Ironic, isn't it?

[@malthus101]

Hmm.. guys, I think the obvious lack of LGBTQ+ diversity in these "crofts" is somewhat "problematic". What are we doing to address this most URGENT matter? Also, I see the cattle were not wearing C02 masks - this too, is quite, quite problematic. 🥺

[@momasu]

Och, nonsense, man! Gordon MacPhierson is a proudly gay man, and Faergus Vurich has been out of the croft closet for yonks.

[@philmulrooney7020]

Wheat privilege 😮

[@vivienscotson]

As nice as parts of this are, its left me feeling a bit depressed... is highland crofting life really as dismal as the tone of voice of the narrator in this film makes out..?

[@davidnicolson6443]

No crofting life is the best

[@paulcunnane4]

It has to be in you.

[@nledaig]

How bizarre! Most people would consider his voice very attractive.

[@barbarathomas2561]

Beautiful voice. Thank you for uploading, a moving video.

[@edwardbrady5843]

It really is unfortunate that the Scots forgot their native Irish tongue.

[@CoIoneIPanic]

Tjese amish just dont want to get on with the woorld. Tis a shame.

[@barscotch]

Cack!

[@nledaig]

Better draw more then and learn to spell