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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Curlew sp. at Minsmere (14 Viewers)

Just in from the Norwich boys monthly curry. Minsmere warden and BBRC member were there and the curlew is still present and has moulted considerably, esp the flanks. It now looks darker and would appear to be a Curlew. Anyone still harbouring any doubts should go and have a look.

Druridge bird may be in for a bit more debate soon too.....

atb
Tim
 
my mate has the Curlew sh*t in his fridge! but not a lot is being doing with it. Don't hold your breath for a quick analysis. Pro SBC camp are not in a rush for it to be done..... ;)
 
Tim Allwood said:
my mate has the Curlew sh*t in his fridge! but not a lot is being doing with it. Don't hold your breath for a quick analysis. Pro SBC camp are not in a rush for it to be done..... ;)
Click to expand...
Is he married? If so it's only a matter of time before his wife chucks it out!
 
I too would like to see photos of the bird. Wasn't there a report of another "Curlew showing characters of SBC" in the SW? Any details on this one available? John
 
Hey John

I think the SW bird is now accepted to be a curlew

Minsmere bird is still there for any one who wants to go and have a look - but you may have trouble picking it out from the curlews now!

apparently, size wise close up when the lads were looking for the droppings it was very difficult to distinguish from mum and dad, er.....the two curlews it was with, and I think they had to be directed by radio...

Tim
 
I haven't been to see the Minsmere bird, and am no kind of expert on curlews.

However I'd like to venture the opinion that one of the most significant things about this bird was that it triggered a lot of discussion about what SBC actually is. I think study of apparently anomalous birds like the Minsmere curlew is always worthwhile. The great majority of them will turn out to be just, well, anomalous (or not even that on closer examination) but at some point this kind of study may throw light on the slippery concept of "species" itself, and on how speciation takes place.

Regards
James
 
Hi James

I'm fairly sure SBC is a good species as flocks of 100+ were seen into the 1970s. Whether any are hanging on or if hybridisation has taken place due to severe depression of numbers is anyone's guess at the moment. Curlew knowledge in central asia is poor though, especially on existence of Numenius hybrids and what sushkini birds actually are...

For the record Adam Gretton and Didier V. are still supporting SBC for the Minsmere bird.
 
....Sorry for being stupid, but who is Adam Gretton?

Perhaps Didier should come and have another look if he thinks he's hard enough.

Surely there's someone at Mins who can get a photo onto Surfbirds or here?

My thoughts on this, in relation to the Druridge bird, are that this was an obvious Curlew to me from the start (but only from the photos I saw). The Druridge bird looked so different from a Curlew that I think it does still stand a chance if reviewed.

The fact that it got accepted onto the BOURC/BBRC list because of much information supplied by Didier may not help its case, since some of the then BBRC agreed only to concur with greater knowledge.

Those "some" still have their doubts about it, and the Mins bird hasn't helped things. I just hope the review is an objective one.........

Sean
 
Hi Sean

Adam Gretton has studied SBC for Birdlife in Morocco and has looked for the breeding grounds in Asia. He has spent a lot of time and a lot of hard work on the species.

There are people at Minsmere who could put photos on the net but they have jobs to do too and if anyone wants to see it - it's still there
 
Hi Tim,
Tim Allwood said:
There are people at Minsmere who could put photos on the net but they have jobs to do too and if anyone wants to see it - it's still there
Click to expand...
What about those of us who live in a different country? Would be a bit much to travel over for what has now been widely accepted as being a Eurasian Curlew just to see what it looks like now! Surely there are others who DON'T work at Minsmere who have taken pics recently?
Harry

P.S. the above was written in a tongue-in-cheek fashion, as is my wont....
 
I don't think anyone's interested in visiting Harry

...and Sean's question was why can't someone AT Minsmere get a photo...

I don't think it's Adam (site manager)'s job to photograph it for birders. If a member of the birding community wants to perform the service they are more than welcome but seeing as it's 'not an SBC' now no-one is bothered of course...

and i would have thought the value of photos would have been somewhat diminished particularly in relation to this individual.... you really need to see it in the field - as with all difficult individuals
 
Hi Tim,
Tim Allwood said:
I don't think anyone's interested in visiting Harry
Click to expand...
It would seem not....

...and Sean's question was why can't someone AT Minsmere get a photo...
Click to expand...
Yes, I stand corrected.

I don't think it's Adam (site manager)'s job to photograph it for birders.
Click to expand...
Agreed.

If a member of the birding community wants to perform the service they are more than welcome but seeing as it's 'not an SBC' now no-one is bothered of course...
Click to expand...
Surely some locally-based birder could take a few snaps/ videograbs...providing that they could pick it out from amongst all the other Curlews....

and i would have thought the value of photos would have been somewhat diminished particularly in relation to this individual.... you really need to see it in the field - as with all difficult individuals
Click to expand...
I agree with you on principle here, but will stress that photos can be invaluable in conveying the appearance of an odd bird to observers who haven't seen it, as can accurate field sketches (i.e. not mine!)...but I went for Eurasian Curlew WITHOUT seeing the actual bird in the flesh, so the pics can't have been that bad.... ;)

Harry
 
You beat me to it Tristan - I was about to do exactly the same thing!
You'd think a teacher would know about the correct use of punctuation.....
 
yes Chris you would, and i do.

...so don't use a hyphen where you should use an em dash, and your elipsis should have one dot fewer (not less, notice). ;)

Let's not start the grammar pedantry. As an editor I could really bore the pants off you...

yours correctly
Timmy
 
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