At between 50-60 cm, the curlew is the UK’s largest wader. It uses its long down-curved bill to probe into soft mud for food. The UK population of 68,000 pairs is after a 25% decline in recent years. Although it breeds in uplands on boggy, grassy and heather moorlands, it is also seen at coastal estuaries and marshes, particularly in winter months, where UK residents will be joined by migrants from Scandinavia, western Europe and Russia.
Yesterday morning I spent a couple of hours in the company of two or three other enthusiasts exploring the wildlife at Stanpit Marsh, Christchurch (UK). It was only my second visit to the site. The sun shone, but we still needed to wrap up to keep ourselves warm. We were rewarded with some stunning views across Christchurch Harbour as well as some quite diverse bird species, including several Curlew.
Stephen's Wildlife 