Buntings' fate is on dinner plate

HUNTED French eat ortolan buntings

- with STUART WINTER

Melancholy bird calls trickle down from brilliant blue skies to tease the ears and fill the heart with sadness.

Over several seconds, the soft, lilting pleas continue to punctuate the morning stillness before fading into the western horizon.

The architect of this sad soundtrack remains invisible but has left a few tantalising clues to stake its identity - a migrating ortolan bunting destined for an uncertain fate.

With no sound recording nor views of this sparrow-size bird flying high across the Chiltern Hills, there is little chance of my encounter being accepted by the custodians of official bird sightings.