World Curlew Day

Today is World Curlew Day.   https://www.curlewaction.org/world-curlew-day/

From The Yorkshire Post:

Nearly 30 percent of the world’s curlew population can be found in the county and with numbers halved over the past two decades, World Curlew Day, was established two years ago to raise awareness of our largest wading bird and help safeguard its future.

It's aim is to highlight the dramatic decline in species numbers. The date, April 21, was chosen as it is around the time the first new chicks hatch, but this year breeding has been delayed. The first curlews arrived in the county amidst the wettest winter on record and food was easy to find, but the ground is so hard now they can only forage in wet flashes where springs carry water to the surface. The dryness and lack of growth of the grass sward is delaying their breeding.

This dry spell needs to end quite soon as birds and crops need it.

I saw my first Curlew of the year on the beach here at Hornsea yesterday. I'd heard them calling but hadn't seen one.

In celebration of the Curlew and its song, here are a few photos I took on the moors near where I used to live.

What a fantastic bird - it should be adopted as the county's bird.