The Eurasian Curlew has long been a familiar sight on estuaries and saltmarsh in winter, and on its moorland breeding strongholds in summer. The species, however, is currently declining at an alarming rate in the UK, earning it the dubious title of being our ‘most pressing bird conservation priority’. Mary Colwell describes her personal journey to raise awareness about the plight of the species, while Alan Lauder, Anita Donaghy and Barry O’Donoghue discuss the conservation of curlews in Ireland.
My Curlew year began in January 2016, when I was standing alone in the cold and rain by the edge of the sea in Norfolk, watching Curlews feed on the mud of The Wash. It ended in November, at a smart golf club in central Ireland, surrounded by like-minded numeniophiles.