The curlew is Britain’s largest wading bird. Its extraordinarily long, curved beak sets it apart, a perfect adaptation for penetrating soft ground, searching for earthworms, molluscs and other subterranean sustenance. Although many believe they are coastal birds, they migrate inland to nest during the spring.
Curlews used to be found in large numbers throughout the British countryside, but the eggs and chicks of this ground-nesting species are vulnerable to predation while intensive forestry and farming have had a major impact on numbers. One of their remaining sanctuaries is the Pennine uplands near my home of the past seven years, where little arable farming occurs and predators are controlled.
Read John Birch’s feature on curlews in OP 319, where he highlights the threats facing the species and the challenges of photographing them.
John is currently raising funds for his new book, Our Wild Pennines. To support the project, head to his Kickstarter page.