Curlews

From their wintering grounds sea beaches far away

They fly to breed to inland boglands in May

Once seen and once heard birds one never again get wrong

The curlews have a lovely flute like song

On calm evenings their song which sounds like curloo in distance travels far and wide

On their breeding ground in the quiet countryside

To where they breed their music with them they bring

The curlews song to hear is such a beautiful thing

In a simple nest well hidden on the ground

Among high rushes quite hard to be found

Three to four blue brown blotched eggs the female lay

In their breeding habits quite elusive one might say

Due to Climate Change and land drainage curlews no longer in large numbers abound

With their long slightly curved bills they probe for worms and slugs in the soft ground

Quite distinctive in their feathers of mottled brown

Curlews are never seen in a parkland in any town

To the boglands in the countryside in Spring

Such joy with them in their flute like songs they bring

But due to land drainage and Climate Change they are becoming rare

A sad thing indeed of for to be aware.