Call of the Curlew – A Harkerside Encounter in Swaledale
There are certain moments that seem to freeze in time – when light, sound, movement, and setting all come together in perfect balance. Yesterday, while walking the shoulder of Harkerside in Swaledale, I had one of those moments. It came in the form of a curlew – wild, graceful, and utterly captivating.
The sun was high and the skies were clear, that kind of midsummer blue that feels infinite. As I made my way across the moorland, with the crunch of heather stems underfoot and the hum of bees in the air, I heard the familiar bubbling cry of a curlew above. That haunting call – part mournful, part magical – always stops me in my tracks. It's a sound so deeply woven into the fabric of our upland landscapes that I can’t help but look up every single time.
This particular bird was circling above the valley, looping and gliding with a lightness that defied the occasional breeze. Camera ready, I followed its flight through the lens, and just as it opened its bill mid-call, I pressed the shutter. One click. One fraction of a second. And somehow, it all lined up – wing sweep, light, focus, the curve of that iconic beak – and I caught it.
Photographing a curlew in flight is no easy task. They’re fast and fluid, often keeping just out of reach of a sharp frame. But what I love most about this image is not just the detail, but the sense of space it captures – the vastness of the sky, the freedom of flight, the voice of the moor embodied in a single bird. This image, to me, feels like summer on Harkerside distilled into one perfect moment.
The curlew is more than just a bird here in Swaledale. It's a symbol of the moorland’s soul – nesting on the open heather, returning year after year to the same calling grounds. Sadly, across much of the UK, curlew numbers have been in sharp decline, largely due to habitat loss and changes in land management. So each time I see one, especially up close like this, I feel both joy and a quiet urgency to document and celebrate these encounters while we still can.
It’s a reminder of how precious these landscapes are – and of how lucky we are to share them with such incredible creatures.
Whether you’re a keen birder, a photography lover, or simply someone who finds peace in the moors, I hope this image speaks to you the way the curlew’s call spoke to me that afternoon on Harkerside.
