BACK FROM THE BRINK… the curlew

On the seashore, the eerie call of the curlew (Numenius arquata) cuts across the sound of the surf. This month, coastal congregations peak as Europe’s largest waders gather in search of shrimp and shellfish. In 2015, the species was added to the UK’S Red List of most endangered avians – with numbers down more than 50 per cent across England and Scotland. However, there is hope for the long-legged bird. A State of Nature report has found that the ‘cur-lee’ cry of the curlew is commonplace in Yorkshire’s Nidderdale AONB, thanks to focused conservation strategies and citizen science projects that encourage people to get involved with local wildlife. To find out more, visit nidderdaleaonb.org.uk.