Last year to celebrate the visit to the local study area of Mary Colwell Hector, Curlew ‘ambassador’, a range of arts activities were initiated. Writing and sculpture workshops were held and a curlew choir was formed. Not only was awareness raised about the plight of the curlew among audiences old and new, but funds […]
In 2016, whilst ringing the ornithologist Tony Cross satellite tagged two curlews at Dolyd Hafren that we named Dolly and Fran, (much to his disapproval). Fran travelled to the Begwyn Hills, but was unlikely to have bred given her movement pattern and the last recorded signals for her were off the coast of Belgium.
We are collaborating with the British Trust for Ornithology to produce a film on curlew observation, to help those keen to undertake curlew monitoring in the future. Local wildlife photographer Ben Osborne has been filming curlews throughout their breeding season, both in the Shropshire Hills and Welsh Marches and also on a managed grouse
In the more northern areas of the UK other Curlew Recovery Projects have started up. In the Curlew Country study area of Shropshire and the Welsh Marches, there is a mixture of upland and lowland habitat and the species linked to it. Outside upland projects, mainly centred on reserves and managed moorland, there is
As part of the project we are working with a farm business manager to assess the cost to a farm business of supporting breeding curlew. We will feed back the results of our findings to policy makers to try and ensure that outcomes based agri-environment schemes will enable curlew populations to revive and thrive
It is being discovered that much of the research in relation to curlew that is relied upon to inform management is now out of date. This year the Curlew Country project has purchased some GPS tags to fit to adult curlew with the aim of discovering more about their territories and local and pre-migratory
Grassland grazed by cattle and sheep can be more ecologically interesting than grassland grazed solely by sheep. Sheep tend to graze the sward more closely leaving a lesser area of habitat. Curlew are thought to feed on some of the invertebrates associated with cattle dung. The Curlew Country study area is much affected by
Once chicks have hatched they are fitted with rings and tiny radio tags to help us to understand better what chicks require until they fledge. This year, following the devastating chick losses of the previous years, the Curlew Country project has applied for a licence to incubate eggs returning them to the nest as
Blog by Amanda Perkins, Curlew Country Project Manager Thank you to the many people who have sent positive messages about the Curlew Cam. Unlike tree nesting birds observed by a camera, the natural departure of curlew chicks from the nest is much more abrupt and has left viewers wanting to see more of what happens to
Curlew Champions – Final Curlew Cam day Read More »
The eggs are incubated for about four weeks and the time from hatching until fledging is variable, but can be about 5 or 6 weeks. Food availability for chicks can affect the length of time it takes for chicks to fledge. Curlew Fact Curlew chicks will take 2 to 3 days to break their
Although territorial, adult curlews will still co-operate to fend off predators. As numbers dwindle and nests are further apart, curlew communities are less able to successfully fend off predators and more vulnerable to nest failure. We have seen a curlew pinning a crow to the ground and attacking it with its long bill. Curlew
Curlews return to local nesting territories from February onwards. Nests are usually started in April, but we are learning that a number of factors contribute to nesting time, including grass length of potential nest sites, access to good feeding sites enabling the birds to get into condition and the effect the weather has on