Gathering

There are several post migratory gatherings of Stone Curlews within Norfolk. Numbers drain away through October as birds move South and make their way into the beautiful dark continent. Given the mild weather perhaps more than usual still remain.

When is a Curlew not a Curlew

We took a group of Birders down through South Norfolk the other week; they wanted to see Stone Curlews which are starting to gather in large pre-migratory groups. The maximum we counted in one flock was around 37 although I heard someone else had around 60. Maybe they ought to give their binoculars a tap. They usually hang around until the beginning of November before drifting off South although they may hang around longer or even over-winter if the weather is mild, The maximum sized flock I’ve ever had in Norfolk was 110.

Thirty Something

Stone Curlews are habitually sociable birds. We are used to seeing them in pairs or littered sparsely across heaths. They are part and parcel of our Breckland landscape in Norfolk; their eerie call resounding out around the fields on moonlit nights. Like some other birds such as Hirrundines and Ducks they accumulate into large flocks prior to migrating.

We ventured into south Norfolk the other day to find such a flock. After staring at fields in all manner of likely places one or two Stone Curlews suddenly materialised among a Sugar Beet crop. No sooner had we seen these then others appeared as if from nowhere. Two, four, eight, ten and so it went on. We ended up in the mid thirties in this tight little group. Undoubtedly there were more we couldn’t see. The majority will no doubt stay for another few weeks until early November when they will fly south to southern Europe and North Africa. A few may stay to sit out the winter … if it’s a mild one.

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