Looking for a Curlew

During my trip to Ireland (Sept 19 through Oct 3, 2010), I had hoped to see many new bird species, including those most associated with the Emerald Isle, as the Curlew. At the time of my trip, I didn't realize that there are eight species of curlews, with bills ranging in length from 3 to 8 inches. Nor did I realize, as reported by BirdWatch Ireland, ". . . that around 80% of the Curlew breeding population [in Ireland] has been lost since the 1970s alone, and perhaps only a few hundred pairs remain."

While you can still find migrant curlews from northern Europe wintering in Ireland, those indigenous to the country are becoming scarce as their habitats disappear. Again, as reported by BirdWatch Ireland " . . . destruction of peat bogs, afforestation, more intensive management of farmland . . . . drainage of wetlands and intensive management of grasslands have destroyed much of their habitat." Given these statistics, it's difficult to say if the curlew shown here (wading in an estuary of the Shannon River) is a resident or migrant.

Also, as it's not the best photo (an understatement), I'm not sure which species of curlew I was lucky enough to glimpse, though I'll take a gamble and bet on the Whimbrel, which is a grayish-brown bird with a dark crown (though the over exposure makes this difficult to see).

So, to answer the question I posed in my Nov 2 blog entry--Yes! I saw a Curlew while in Ireland, yet probably not a Irish Curlew, given their drastic decline.

Till next time . . . Keep birds in your heart!

Georgia Anne