Stone Curlew Burhinus oedicnemus

The best way to learn is by spending time outside listening to songs and calls with someone who can already recognise them. Most people find it impossible to learn more than a couple of new calls or songs in a day so it's worth focusing in on just a couple of species during a walk. Once you really know the calls made by common species such as robins, wrens, great tits and wood pigeons, it will become progressively easier to pick out anything different.

CDs of bird songs and calls can be helpful too and are available from Norfolk Wildlife Trust at its visitor centres, such as NWT Cley Marshes nature reserve. Wildounds based in Norfolk, offers a huge range of CDs by mail order  and can be contacted via the website www.wildsounds.co.uk .

Many guided walks are organised by NWT on its nature reserves (check event listings on the website for current events) and these often provide opportunities to learn from and with others who will be delighted to share their knowledge.

Picture by Elizabeth Dack

The best place in Norfolk to watch stone curlews without disturbing them is from the hides at NWT Weeting Heath. The reserve is open from late March to late September and the best months to see stone curlews are April to June. Weeting Heath is 3 miles west of Brandon and signposted from the Weeting to Hockwold cum Wilton road (map ref. TL 756 881).

Please remember that if you do see stone curlews elsewhere in the Brecks, that this species is very vulnerable to disturbance at breeding sites. It is a criminal offence to intentionally disturb this species at a nest site.

Check out our Stone Curlew webcam

Picture by Lawrie Webb

If you find a bird that has been ringed please contact the Ringing Unit at the British Trust for Ornithology. If the bird is large you may be able to read the ring without handling it. However, it will be difficult to do this on a small bird, in this case it is ok to pick them up but remember to wash your hands and any equipment you used to handle the dead bird.
 
Please report the ring number and if the bird is dead send the ring along with your letter. Provide as much information as you can about the location of where the bird was found, for example, the nearest town/ grid reference. Also include the date you found the bird and the species if it is known. If the bird was dead please also include any information on the cause of death. Also include your details so the BTO can be in contact.

BTO – Report a bird ring 
 
In the interests of monitoring and understanding the spread of avian influenza (bird flu), Defra ask that you report any dead waterfowl (swans, geese, ducks), gulls, or birds of prey you find. You should also report any other dead wild birds you find in numbers of five or more. You can contact them on the Defra helpline (03459 33 55 77). Do not touch or handle the dead bird if you can avoid it, but if you must, wash your hands thoroughly as soon as possible, keeping your hands away from your face and any food.


If the bird is a pigeon - rings can be reported to The Royal Pigeon Racing Association
 
Please remember to wash your hands after handling any dead bird.  

 

In the interests of monitoring and understanding the spread of avian influenza (bird flu), Defra ask that you report any dead waterfowl (swans, geese, ducks), gulls, or birds of prey you find. You should also report any other dead wild birds you find in numbers of five or more. You can contact them on the Defra helpline (03459 33 55 77). Do not touch or handle the dead bird.

Picture by Julian Thomas

The British Trust for Ornithology carries out many surveys to monitor bird populations and actively seeks assistance from members of the public. For more information, go to their website at www.bto.org. Alternatively you can take part in the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch which normally takes place in January.  

Picture by Pat Adams