Heard and saw a Curlew fly over the Caldon Canal and disused railway this morning at about 08:30. The first of the year. I strongly suspect Curlews have, at least attempted, to breed in the fields between Endon and Denford for the past 11 years, and probably longer (I have only lived here for 11 years and whilst working in my garden during spring and summer I have heard them calling every year). For the first eight or nine years they seemed to nest in a wet hollow on a farm on the south side of the Caldon Canal - at least this is where I have seen them land and heard them call. Then last year the farmer carried out some agricultural "improvements" and the Curlews appeared to have shifted nesting site, as a pair were using fields near to the sewage works on the opposite side of the canal. Of course it is possible that it is another pair, but I didn't notice any activity from the wet hollow site that year (2014). According to the RSPBs Handbook of British Birds (2002) Curlews can live 30 years or maybe more, but 5 years seems more typical ( see http://blx1.bto.org/birdfacts/results/bob5410.htm). So it may be either one or both of the same individuals coming back to nest in this area every year for the past several years.
Where the Curlew flew over.
Curlew in nesting site near Endon Sewage Works 2014.
Agricultural "improvements" taking place in April 2014 in wet hollow where Curlews were regularly seen and heard in previous years.
Alder Bracket Fungi on dead Goat Willow tree trunk in Deep Hayes Country Park.
One of the first Gorse Ulex europaeus flowers of the year in Deep Hayes CP this morning.
Stream above pools DHCP this morning where a Willow Tit was calling.
Great Blog Wendy :-)
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