A Morning with Stone Curlews in Hampshire (Day Trip)

Stone Curlews are migrants to this country from southern Spain and North Africa. This species was once widespread from Dorset to Yorkshire but a rapid decline in the last century saw numbers hitting an all-time low of fewer than 170 pairs in the 1980s. This decline was largely due to the loss of suitable grassland habitat brought about by lack of grazing and the conversion of permanent pasture to arable farmland. As a result, the birds were forced to nest within arable crops where the eggs and young were vulnerable to agricultural machinery.

We will visit a small country estate in north Hampshire which is an example of rewilding – taking a former arable farm and returning it to downland. As a result of this conversion it is one of just a handful of estates to have Stone Curlews. It is now a mixture of parkland, woodland and farmland with three lakes. The estate was the site of a Royal residence in the 12th and 13th centuries and King Henry II and King John hosted hunting parties here, and our visit will include a chance to view the recently excavated foundations.

From 17th May the group size will be up to 10.