The sound of the curlew is one of my earliest memories. Our family farm is located near a large stretch of bog, and we would often hear, and occasionally see, curlews feeding on the bog. It is hard to believe that curlews have nearly disappeared as residents from the Irish landscape. Though it is possible to see curlews along the west coast, many of them are wintering visitors. The native curlews are dying out, so much so that Birdwatch Ireland have launched a campaign to try to stabilize breeding numbers.
I photographed the curlew pictured above at a turlough near Kilmacduagh before Xmas – I wonder if it is a local or a tourist ?