Dumfriesshire is where I grew up as a child fishing for salmon on a farm filled with curlews, oyster catchers and lapwings. I remember one day out fishing and seeing six red squirrels in the same trees. I'm living in England now and when I recently went back to the farm it was bereft of all these things. It is sad to see so much depletion of nature in such a short period. In fact I've just realised I was at school with the author (Paddy) about 30 years ago, which is why his writing seems so familiar. Hopefully we can work out a formula where society allows for farmers to get paid a decent living while making space for more nature before even more is lost.

Very very sad to see these birds disappearing, and lapwings too. The last time I visited my sister in Ballater I heard not a single one.

I'm guessing pesticides kill the insects which then starve the birds for food.

I'm sure if we change our ways in enough time they'll bounce back, but for that to happen enough people would have to mourn their loss and demand change. Instead we stand by powerless and shake our heads.

It’s certainly a beautiful call, especially on their breeding grounds. I recently spent a few days in a location in Wales where I would have expected them to be breeding 20 years ago and there was no sign now.