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Curlew Moon
- Narrated by: Jane McDowell
- Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins
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Curlew Moon
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Summary
Curlews are Britain’s largest wading bird, known for their evocative calls which embody wild places; they provoke a range of emotions that many have expressed in poetry, art and music.
A bird stands alone on the edge of a mudflat. Its silhouette is unmistakable. A plump body sits atop stilty legs. The long neck arcs into a small head, which tapers further into a long, curved bill. The smooth, convex outlines of this curlew are alluring. They touch some ancestral liking we all have for shapes that are round and smooth.
Over the last 20 years, numbers in the UK have halved; the Eurasian curlew is one of our most endangered birds. With a quarter of the world population breeding in the UK and Ireland, this is nothing short of a disaster. The curlew is showing all the signs of being the next great auk.
In Curlew Moon, Mary Colwell takes us on a 500 mile journey on foot from the west coast of Ireland to the east coast of England, to discover what is happening to this beautiful and much-loved bird. She sets off in early spring, when the birds are arriving on their breeding grounds, watches them nesting in the hills of Wales and walks through England when the young are hatching. She finishes her walk on the coast of Lincolnshire when the fledglings are trying out their wings. This is also the place many curlews will return to for the winter months.
This evocative book chronicles Colwell’s impressive journey, weaving a gentle tale of discovery interspersed with the natural history of this iconic bird that has fascinated us for millennia - and so desperately needs our help.
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What listeners say about Curlew Moon
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Linda Nicholson
- 23-10-19
Eye opening read that should be compulsory to adults and children
A brilliant informative book that needs to shared and read by everyone
Our country is no longer a “ green and pleasant land”
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Hendy
- 13-12-18
A vital text for our time
Everyone should read or listen to this book . It is the story of where we are heading, unless we follow the author's advice. Totally readable, it is not just about Curlew decline, but about all life including ultimately our own. Thankfully it has led to action, which we must hope will be successful. Beautifully read too.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ruth
- 14-06-21
Curlews in need
I found this a moving and unfortunately depressing listen. I remember with emense joy in hearing numerous Curlews call over northern upland Moors in the 1980s. I for one would be deverstated if they were lost. The book brought home their fragile state. This was a well told intesting listen. The narration was excellent.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Kindle Customer
- 10-01-23
Somber beauty
Heart wrenching as one woman’s journey through sorrow & loss meets hope… compelling mandate for change action & commitment to preserving what we have left
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sharon Jervis
- 01-10-19
Curlew Moon
A poignant, beautifully written book sensitively read by Mary Colwell. The story documents the decline of our much beloved Eurasian Curlew. Another victim of our sad times ecologically, this narrative will
enthral the reader even if you’re not a bird watcher, as I am. We can not afford to let this beautiful
bird disappear from our landscape.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Tim Perkins
- 26-04-18
A wake up call
To many country people, the Curlew call heralds spring. Mary Colwell brings us a wake up call. Curlews may soon be gone in Ireland and then the lowlands of England and Wales, and then perhaps the Northern uplands? We follow her 500 mile walk meeting a wide variety of people affected. She tells us all about the groups looking to reverse the decline, and tackles all the sensitive potential conflicts with objectivity and understanding.
This is a wonderfully informative story from someone passionate about her subject.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Kindle Customer
- 17-02-21
Captivating, but sad.
I absolutely loved this audio book. Not only was it factual, impartial, informative and thought provoking, it was also exciting, romantic, sad and heart breaking. I almost want to turn around and listen to it again.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Rose
- 17-01-19
They call it research, I call it spying
I’m sure this book will be a fascinating read but while bird lovers might call ringing researh i call it spying. Mankind is a hypocritte and no more is that evident than in reading nature books that talk about satellite tracking and ringing birds so we can satisfy our curiosity or nosiness or need to pry in to the business of those that can’t say no to our probings while at the same time we get our own proverbial knickers in a twist if our own privacy is threatened by satellite technology so who do we think we are? I recognize the need to learn about why birds die but really? Isn’t the answer ovvious? We’re here that’s why ultimately. That apart I read this kind of book to learn and to understand facts gleaned by observations made on the spot as we might observe our children not through tampering,, catching,, weighing and measuring and otherwise interfering in the daily life of that which can’t saay no. I wouldn’t bother reading books like this otherwise than to bask in the living landscape in descriptions which I can only get second hand because I can’t actuallly see them.
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