Love for Curlews, but is it enough?

Curlew (Greengage Films)

It was standing room only in Bala last week for the launch of Stunned by Silence, a short film about Curlew conservation made by wildlife film-maker Malka Holmes. Springwatch’s Iolo Williams introduced the film, which he narrates in Cymraeg and English, followed by an opportunity to ask questions of Malka and Bethan Beech of Natural Resources Wales who advises on the recovery of breeding Curlew. The film is Malka’s love letter to Curlews, inspired by a poem composed by her late father, artist Clyde Holmes, at her childhood home in Cwm Hesgyn. Sadly, gone are the days anyone can hear Curlews regularly at Cwm Hesgyn in the moorlands of the Migneint.

Among others, the film features author Mary Colwell, musician David Gray, RSPB staff and farmers involved with Curlew conservation in North Wales. The ensuing discussion illustrated the hopes and desire of local people to save the cry of the Curlew. I’d encourage you to watch the seven-minute film and share it on social media to raise awareness about the plight of this long-legged wading bird, at real risk of extinction as a breeding species in Wales in the next decade.

The premiere came in the same week as an important report from a Senedd Committee reviewing Welsh Government’s performance on halting and reversing the loss of nature by 2030. The suite of recommendations was welcomed by wildlife campaigners supporting the overriding message from Committee Chair Llyr Gruffydd MS who said “that making commitments is all well and good, but this needs to be followed by a clear plan, action delivery and be backed by appropriate investment. All are currently lacking.” The Curlews await better news…

Rarest visitor this week was a Red-necked Grebe at RSPB Valley Wetlands. A Green-winged Teal was a good find on saltmarsh at Glan-y-Môr Elias near Llanfairfechan, and remarkably a second was found at RSPB Conwy. It is a scarce vagrant from North America, with just a handful of records in the last ten years. Like the previous sightings, both were males, distinguished by a vertical white line on the front edge of the flank, unlike the Eurasian Teal which has a horizontal line along the top edge.

Black Redstarts are on the Great Orme and the beach at Kinmel Bay, with a Snow Bunting at the latter. Slavonian Grebes and a Long-tailed Duck are in Beddmanarch Bay, and up to four Velvet Scoters off Llanddulas. Llyn Tegid’s Ring-necked Duck was seen again and there were Firecrests near Llanfairfechan sewage works and Llyn Coed Parc Mawr. A survey found 26 Water Rails wintering at RSPB Conwy, the highest number ever.

For more about Curlew conservation in North Wales, read my column from last October, and the Gylfinir Cymru partnership website – in English neu Gymraeg. A selection of other images from the film Stunned by Silence are shown below, courtesy of Greengage Films and Curlew Action.