I do not think law is boring. It covers everything from embryo to exhumation. It regulates the air we breathe, the food and drink we consume, our employment , education , health and  property . But if I were to refer you to Section 19 of The Rural Development Contracts (Rural Priorities) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2011 you may be forgiven for believing law dull.

But this little piece of legislation is extremely important and essential for the protection of the beloved corncrake now probably only found on the Western Isles of Scotland and Orkney. The corncrake is a brown streaked bird with bright chestnut wings , a short deep bill and strong legs and feet ,ideal for thrusting through tall vegetation where they live. In fact corncrakes are reluctant to emerge from the rough vegetation and so are more often heard than seen, the male singing with a distinctive rasp used to attract females. The bird is a summer visitor to Scotland between April and September thereafter migrating to central and southern Africa in winter.

Over a hundred years ago corncrakes were common in Britain but there are now only a few left. This is due to modern farming methods destroying nesting sites and killing chicks and also adult birds. The Rural Development Contracts (Rural Priorities) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2011 sets out conservation schemes which pay farmers  to manage land in a corncrake friendly way.

There are encouraging signs that the number of corncrakes in Britain are slowly now increasing. Legislative measures have saved corncrakes from being an endangered species.

Isn’t law wonderful !