Curlew - (Numenius arquata)

The Curlews and Whimbrels were in abundance earlier this month with young all around the area, just great to see and to hear them calling too...

Steve
MKIII 500f/4 1/2000 f/5.6 IS)400 bean bag/car hide

Very nice portrait of this beautiful bird Steve
and I like it when described how taken,

Bertl

I was told that our Whimbrel was actually a Curlew - now looking at this one, I'm not so sure again........

Hi Steve, nice shot especially with the dark shy/clouds as BG.

Thanks very much guys.

As Graham has pointed out in the above, there is a little debate on another 'Forum' as to what is a Curlew & Whimbrel. Any pointers would be grateful on this thread.

BTW Graham, I had noticed a few exchanges

Really nice with lovely background that draws your attention to the bird.

Scott

With a beak that long I'd go Curlew myself - Whimbrel is noticeably shorter methinks.

Nice image "Judith" - slight pity about the OoF long grass stems in the middle background but it's no biggy.

Hi Steve.
Real nice shot,that sky and BG is great.
Keith.

Lovely shot, Steve. The dark sky works very well here.

This is a Curlew, Whimbrel is smaller and has a proportionately shorter bill, it also is much more grey-brown in colour, (as opposed to the buff-brown of this bird) and has a noticably darker eye-stripe and crown colour making the supercillium far more obvious, when seen face on the Whimbrel also has a very noticable pale median crown stripe.
Oh and its a great shot too!

nice , real nice.

Excellent cover shot !
Cheers
JohnR

Nice bird and like the stages of colouration Stephen.

Major

I love it! The bird is great, but the foreground and background are superb, (A little noise reduction on the background maybe?)

Very nice, love the portrait format, you've been busy have'nt you , lovely shot steve