Thanks all - still a bit of a mystery! I've pm'd Dick Greenhaus, so perhaps he'll shed some light.

Jim - where can I find this? not sure where to look (and it's not on Youtube!)

TB - which Ossian album is it on? I've got 2 of them, and it's not on either. Thanks for that link.

Also - I have this vague memory of once hearing a woman (Scots?) sing it, and she definitely sang "corncreel" instead of "corncrake". I presume this is an older name for the bird? haven't come across this word in any of the lyrics I've seen.