Bumper year for Curlew Sandpipers

06 Sep 2016 Curlew Sandpiper by Stephen McAvoy

After a couple of quiet years, 2016 is shaping up to be a bumper year for Curlew Sandpipers in Britain and Ireland. Several sites have reported flocks of more than 50 individuals, with 258 counted at RSPB Frampton Marsh in late August. The BirdTrack reporting rate reflects this, with Curlew Sandpiper noted on over 6% of complete lists in recent weeks.

Such large influxes are not unprecedented, with similar numbers noted in 1969, 1988 and 1996. It seems that weather conditions over the North Sea in mid August contributed to the influx, perhaps in conjunction with a good breeding season. Now is a good time to catch up with the species as the flocks will soon begin moving on towards their winter quarters in western Africa.



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