Curlew are ground-nesting birds. We think that this is the pair that has already tried to nest on a nearby piece of grassland on a common, but their nest was predated either by crows or badgers, so this is a second attempt at nesting. The ornithologist was drawn to the first attempt at nesting by these birds as he spotted the adults alarm calling and noticed a fox in broad daylight following a scent. We managed to save and fence that nest, but it was subsequently predated.
This nest was found by the farmer who owns the land it is on. Curlew nests are notoriously difficult to find.
Curlew Fact
Curlew will try to breed again in the season if a nest fails at egg stage, but not if chicks are lost.