Sightings
Starting in Spring 2008, as a long-term commitment to maintaining the project momentum into the future, it is our intention to document as best we can the first sightings in the vicinity of the returning curlews. It is hoped that this will give us a fair idea of the total number of breeding pairs in our area.
This is not meant to be a detailed scientific study. If we can keep the log going for a number of years, it will at least indicate (albeit crudely) the health of the curlew population. If there is a marked difference in their arrival times, it might also be an indication of climate change. We have to be a bit careful about this as the sample size is small, and we do not know for certain where the birds we see spend the winter.
The dates of the sightings and approximate location will be shown on a map. An example map for 2007 has been created (please click the links on the left of the map for more information). To view this map in a new browser window, please click here
If you are interested in contributing to the record, please get in touch (using our Contact Us link on the left) to register your interest. We will send out an email reminder early next year to prepare for the 2008 arrivals. And don't worry if your sighting seems to be outside the map area - we would still like to hear from you, and we will try to accommodate all sightings into the log.