Studies of breeding Curlews (and other waders) in the Severn and Avon Vales have been going on for many years. GNS had developed a ‘Curlew Meadows’ project to look not just at the breeding Curlews, but the botany of nesting fields in floodplain meadows too. An account of studies from 2017-2019 is included in the recently published three-year “Gloucestershire Bird Report” for 2017 to 2019. From 2019 (with a break for Covid lockdowns in 2020) the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust has supported more intensive studies of the breeding birds, and the attached poster summarises the results for the 2023 breeding season. Worthy of note are: the large number of nests found – 24; the poor breeding success – only nine fledged chicks from 24 territorial pairs; and the increasing number of breeding birds which can now be identified from their colour rings and/or satellite tags. The WWT website allows those interested to follow the movements of satellite tagged birds – just search for ‘Curlew tracking’ on www.wwt.org.uk .
