first curlew of spring

[robin wood]

Now for folk who live on the coast that probably sounds a bit odd but for those of us that live on the moors the first curlew is as eagerly awaited as the first swallow and I heard my fist one just as the sun rose this morning. Also saw a kingfisher, first one I have seen in Edale in 10 years living here, we are more dipper country but I have been told there are a few here.

 

[JonnyP]

Nice one Robin, not seen a curlew for a long time, but I do remember the noise they make, very well.
I have however seen a small group of what I think was swallows. They went past me so fast and unexpected, and I was driving too. They were certainly swallows, swifts or martins..This was about a week ago....
Its always good to see a kingfisher.. Last one I saw was fishing in rock pools on the coast here, quite surprised me..

 

[Toddy]

We call them peeweeps and they nest down by the laighlands that are part of the River Clyde's flood plain.
I drove by with my father many years ago as they lifted in flight, wheeping away, and he was so pleased. He said that as a boy in the 20's things had been so tight for money and food that the boys had gathered every peeweeps egg they could find in the grasses, for they were very good eating, and how much he'd regretted it when there were no peeweeps to be seen for so many years afterwards.
He built a boat that year and named it Curlew

cheers,
Toddy

 

[JonnyP]

We call them peeweeps and they nest down by the laighlands that are part of the River Clyde's flood plain.
I drove by with my father many years ago as they lifted in flight, wheeping away, and he was so pleased. He said that as a boy in the 20's things had been so tight for money and food that the boys had gathered every peeweeps egg they could find in the grasses, for they were very good eating, and how much he'd regretted it when there were no peeweeps to be seen for so many years afterwards.
He built a boat that year and named it Curlew

cheers,
Toddy

Nice story Toddy...

 

[Toddy]

My Dad has been dead for over twenty years, yet everytime I hear a peeweep I mind of his pleasure in seeing them again. Not a bad memory to have.

Funny the way our minds work.

Makes you wonder though, we'd never eat their eggs now, yet at one time they were a common seasonal food, like the salmon or the hazelnuts.
There are too many of us on this little green island for that kind of economy to be sustainable any more, but I think we miss something vital when we lose our connection to the seasons, and the way the real world and everything else that is part of it, changes with them.

cheers,
Toddy