If you were driving through the Peak District and happened to see one of these beautiful birds flying alongside your car, you would be forgiven for thinking you had taken a wrong turn. Surely these birds are coastal dwellers? It isn’t a Sandpiper and it isn’t a Snipe, and although very similar in colouring, these Peak District birds are Curlews and they can be found in several areas of the Dark and White Peak. The Following set of images were all taken near Anroach Farm.

Curlews are migratory birds and are characterised by their long, slender, down curved bills and their beautifully mottled brown plumage. A Curlew call is quite haunting, ringing out across silent farmland and moors calling for their mate – they are very vocal birds and once you have heard a Curlew cry, you won’t forget it in a hurry. They often search for worms and other invertebrates with their long bills digging into mud or very soft ground. With their very long legs, it seems strange to see them not paddling in water and they have to dip their heads down quite far to the ground before their beak enters the earth .They are a surprisingly large bird when they take off, their massive wingspan swooshing in the still air. In Britain and the rest of Europe, the curlew is often referred to as one species, the Eurasian Curlew or Numenius arguata, and it is this species we are lucky enough to have as visitors here in the Peak District , which you can see in full glory below

They are quite a sight, flying over the Peaks and Dales, and often congregate in numbers if the weather has rained hard. Usually found around the whole UK coastline with the largest concentrations in Morecambe Bay, the Solway Firth, the Wash and the Dee, it’s a bird, which you may see on your holidays by the sea and be surprised when you see them visit inland too. Greatest breeding numbers are found in the Pennines, North Wales, the Southern uplands and the East Highlands of Scotland and the Northern Isles, but we certainly have our fair share here in Derbyshire

Curlews are part of a group of eight species of birds, with the Sandpiper and Snipe as we mentioned, all with the same long bills and similar colouring. They are one of the most ancient lineages of Scolopacid Waders (together with Godwits, which look similar but have straight bills) and are generally found in coastal or wetland areas which feed on shellfish and shrimps ,but our visitors here have to forego their shellfish diet and plump for a wormy meal instead.

Curlews enjoy a worldwide distribution so we are very lucky to have them as Peak District birds – it must be something to do with the stunning scenery. Most species have very strong migratory habits, so they disappear in autumn and usually one or more species can be encountered at different times of the year in Europe and the rest of the British Isles. Spring and summer is a great time to catch Curlews in the Peak District. When you do see one, just think, they may have been on holiday already this year, in exotic places such as Africa, Liberia, South-east Asia, Siberia, North America, and South America.

The distribution of curlews has changed unfortunately due to agricultural and farming practices. With reclamation and drainage of marshy fields and moors, it’s led to a local decrease in numbers, which is a real shame. Deforestation can also have an impact in this country, moving the birds around more than usual.

Curlews breed from April to July, which is the best time to see them hunting and foraging for food. Coastal numbers build up from July and reach a peak in January and February. The estimated number of pairs in the UK is 99,500 – 225,000 pairs which sounds an awful lot but this figure is down in recent years.The birds wintering in this country, the number of individual Curlews present from October to March, is approximately 140,000.

Along with a very close looking species, the Whimbrel, these waders are among the world’s greatest long-distance migrants, travelling annually from the Arctic all the way down to the southernmost tip of South America, Africa and Australia. They simply pop into the UK and the Peak District for a breather before moving on again, and we are very glad they do.