Any day is a good day when you hear a Curlew calling in the thick mist and see first one bird, distantly on the beach, and then another eight, grazing on the grass of the playing fields, all at the seaside town of Sully, just a short bus ride from home. Unfortunately, local dog walkers show little respect for these red-listed birds and frequently disturb them when they’re trying to feed, both on the beach and on the grass. That is how I managed to get a flight shot, but I’d much rather not have got the photo if that meant the birds were left in peace. I glared at a few people, I can tell you!

If you’ve never heard a Curlew call, there’s a short video on John Lawton’s YouTube channel that shows Curlews sleeping and preening and occasionally calling.