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Wading bird scientists flock together at Sylt
People who love waders, like the birds themselves, flock together in the autumn at the annual conference of the International Wader Study Group (IWSG). The range of attendees mirrored the diversity of wading birds scattered across the mudflats surrounding the island of Sylt off the northern coast of Germany, where the meeting was held. I […]
What’s the link between mammoths and curlew diversity?
A recent scientific paper published in eLife suggest that the loss of huge mammals at the end of the last Ice Age, grazers such as Giant Elks and Woolly Mammoths, would have had a significant impact on the landscapes on which they had lived and on birds like curlews, which thrived on the open ground. […]
Mya Bambrick dedicates walk to Curlews
In the eighth of her ’21 Wildlife Walks’, Mya Bambrick visited the Severn and Avon Vales to learn more about the Eurasian Curlew and its conservation – including walking with Curlew Action Founder and Director Mary Colwell, and Curlew Action Trustee Mike Smart. She also met up with Daniel Gornall, Research Officer at the Wildfowl […]
Curlew hunting ban in France extended until July 2024
In early August 2023, it was announced that the hunting of three species of birds – Eurasian Curlew, European Turtle Dove and Black-tailed Godwit – had been suspended in France until 30 July 2024. The three ban orders were signed by Christophe Béchu, the Minister of Ecological Transition. “Curlew Action is delighted that hunting of Curlews […]
Curlews in the Netherlands – lessons for the UK lowlands? Summary Blog
Mary Colwell, Mike Smart (Curlew Action), Rebecca Pringle (Natural England) with Dutch hosts Henk-Jan Ottens (Montagu’s Harrier Foundation), Gerrit Gerritsen (Birdfriendly Dairy) SUMMARY OF FINDINGS The Netherlands has long devoted attention to “meadow birds” (ground-nesting waders, notably Black-tailed Godwit, Lapwing, Redshank, Ruff, and Curlew). One of the current leaders of the long-term research is Prof. […]
Day 1 – Visit to Friesland , NE Netherlands
Written by: Mike Smart, Mary Colwell – Curlew Action Rebecca Pringle – Natural England We visited the Netherlands to see how Curlews are faring in the intensive farmland that makes up the majority of this small, highly managed country – can we glean any wisdom on how to help curlews nesting in the lowlands in […]
curlew action fact-finding mission to finland: May 2023
By Mary Colwell and Russell Wynn Summary Finland has a human population of 5.5 million, the UK is nearly 70 million. Finland in 1.4 times larger than the UK. Most people live in the south of Finland. More than 75% of Finland’s land area is forested, but these forests are significantly different to UK woodlands, […]
Finland trip: day 4
Day 4 – Curlews in North Karelia It makes sense when you see curlews in vast peatlands. A large brown bird doesn’t look so big or stand out so much in the vast mires of North Karelia, in fact it looks small, and it blends into the background, camouflaged against the browns, whites, and greys […]
Finland trip: day 3
Finland – Day 3. Linnunsuo wetland and Liperi to see the curlews in the nesting areas in the western part of North Karelia. The sun glinted off the freshwater pools, and the azure sky was filled with the sound of hundreds of little gulls and migrating barnacle geese. In the shallows were dabbling shoveler, teal, […]
Finland trip: day 2
This morning, before we left Helsinki, we were hosted by Nina Mikander, Global Director of Policy for Birdlife International. She put on a magnificent brunch – a big thank you from Curlew Action! Our conversation was wide-ranging, from the declining status of ‘meadow birds’, of which curlew are just one, to the main threats facing […]