Curlew or whimbrel? Similar birds to the untrained eye but to regular birders the difference is quite clear, even from a distance. The whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) is a little smaller than the curlew and has a conspicuous white eye-stripe but from a way off the thing you notice is that whilst the curlew has a long bill curving downward in a gentle arc the whimbrel's bill has a distinct bend half way down. In relation to body size the whimbrel's bill is shorter than that of the curlew too.
So that is identification sorted but when and where can you see them in Dorset? Most passage migrants can be seen here in both spring and autumn but, curiously perhaps, you have a far better chance of seeing a whimbrel in spring than in autumn. A look at the weekly reports shows that birds start appearing in week 14 (mid April) and then surge upwards from week 15 to week 19, by the end of May most have moved on. That is a fairly standard spring time migration trend but where is the autumn passage? There is a slight increase in reports during weeks 29 to 31 in August but there is no pronounced outward flow of birds. Some whimbrel breed in the north of Scotland, especially Shetland/Orkney, and the main European race breed in Iceland and northern Scandinavia. May be the European race take a longer route south in the winter travelling through mainland Europe instead? I do not know the answer to that.
There are reports of whimbrel from most of the months during the summer too but in very low numbers and are probably just one or two birds that stay here unable to continue the journey north due possibly to some infirmity. In autumn they can be seen through until week 39 in late September but then they are gone again until the spring, the are certainly passage migrants and not winter visitors.
The distribution map shows records from all of the usual coastal locations with Christchurch harbour, Poole harbour and the Fleet all seeing whimbrel during migration. The most records seem to come from the Fleet with Ferrybridge, East Fleet, West Bexington and Abbotsbury being popular stopovers for incoming whimbrel. Elsewhere Lytchett Bay reports a good number and so, too, the MIddlebere channel between Combe heath at Arne and the hide at Middlebere farm.
If you want to see whimbrel then your best bet is to watch the news headlines for reports and then act quickly! Birds do seem to stop off for a day or so in Dorset here whilst on migration so if one is seen today there is chance it will be still there tomorrow.
Comments
Post a Comment