Former rare summer visitor.

The Corncrake is an endangered species in Britain and now only breeds in the western islands of Scotland and in Ireland. Their decline has largely been attributable to loss of suitable habitat, particularly hay meadows and the introduction of mechanized hay cutting.

In the nineteenth century the Corncrake was a common breeding bird in Hertfordshire, but rapidly declined from the beginning of the twentieth century. Foster (1914) referred to the Landrail (as it was formerly known) being, “frequently met with in fair numbers in autumn and is shot whilst Partridge shooting”. The Game Book of Colonel Unwin-Heathcote of Shephalbury Manor provides the following  records of them being shot whilst Partridge shooting: three at Chesfield on 16 September 1893; one at Aston End on 13 September 1894; one at Chesfield on 14 September 1895; three at Chesfield on 18 September 1895.    

Other records are; one shot Broom Barns on 29 September 1902, one heard calling at Stevenage on 4 May 1931, and one heard calling in a field at Shepalbury on 18 August 1939 by a Mrs Kerr.  A Corncrake was also believed to have nested near to Bedwell Plash around 1955/1956.