Three Bunting Walk, 15 June

An evening walk along the Maxey Cut revealed three kinds of singing bunting. As you would expect in high summer several yellowhammer were singing away from the field edges and hedgerows. And there were also two male reed buntings in song too. When I say in song, you have to remember that evolution has passed the bunting family by when it comes to song. Their efforts are far from musical and the reed bunting is no exception - a rather inspid call, rather than a song. Reed buntings are badly named really for they are just as home in a field of wheat or these days rape (there is a male calling in a rape field near Crossing Cottages this year).

And finally, and quite the worst singer of the lot, a corn bunting could be heard somewhere in the fields between Helpston and Maxey. Its jangling song, sometimes compared to the sound of keys being shaken together, carries long distances over the wheat fields, and is very distinctive - once you know it, you won't miss it.

Corn buntings are very scarce these days - characteristic birds of open farmland, they have declined significantly in recent years. There are usually one or two pairs locally and June and July are the best months to hear them.

There is a section on the Botolph's Barn website about the Corn Bunting which says:

This very dumpy and rather drab bird also has a truly uninspiring song - it sounds something like a set of keys being repeatedly jangled. So ugly bloke, poor chat up lines - but clearly beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder as the male corn bunting is polygamous, keeping a close eye on up to seven females in his territory and ensuring that whilst he sings (badly) away from the middle of the corn fields, they get on with the routine of raising the young.