I had intended something different for my second post, but when "announcing" my blogging prescence on Facebook I added a photo of a Slender-billed Curlew, which attracted a few comments, so, with apologies to the "haven't seens" of this world, I'll continue. I've been looking on the web and it seems that there are very few photos of Slender-billed Curlew, and only one video of Merja Zerga birds. This is understandable as most birders back in the 80's and early 90's didn't have cameras, and those that did, like myself, could rarely get close enough for good shots. I know there are others, I digitised one for Vaughan Ashby, but most will be distant record shots blown up. When using film (remember that?) this results in much loss of quality, in fact I didn't put mine on my website for years because I didn't consider it good enough, I still don't but because of the paucity of shots I've reversed that  decision.                                                                                                  

                                                                                                                                The best shots are those of Chris Gomersall, who was an RSPB photographer, and he famously mentions crawling through the mud to get closer. Good on you, I wish I'd done the same. Richard Porter also has some good shots taken in Oman, and Arnoud van den Berg I know has had at least one published. I also looked on e-bird, and the situation there is similar, Martin Reid has a few, but there is nothing of better quality.  There are also many photos on the web of museum specimens etc., one of which is in a stately house less than 15 miles from me which is now a museum, Ayscough Hall. I only found this out recently, one day I'll twitch it, but a photo did appear in "First for Britain and Ireland 1600-1999" by Phil Palmer, of which I had a copy because some of my pics are in it too, but I lived in Suffolk at the time so never connected. Naturally on the web there are some shots which are obviously mis-identifications, I didn't look further, search engines have many limitations and they may not have been labelled SBC initially anyway. 

The situation is worse for the Druridge Bay bird, I cannot find any decent shots of it. This is no reflection on any photographers as conditions were difficult, added to the fact that there was much controversy and many people didn't go soon enough. The bird was seen in flight over the car park on its "last day" but unfortunately landed further north where it was declared to be a Whimbrel, resulting in many people not searching further. However a sighting was accepted much further north on that evening. So it already is a matter of conscience whether it's on your list, and for many years I knew I had seen the bird but didn't think it was a Slender-bill, a sort of reverse of the BOU's initial decision. I don't think it will ever be reviewed, not because of any pressure from birders, but because no more evidence is likely ever to be available. Even if a stunning shot of it were to come to light, there is relatively little to compare it with, only DNA will prove matters one way or the other, and for a "first" the evidence has to be 100%. In my limited research, I came across a video (which I can't relocate) which convinced me recently that the bird was a Slender-billed Curlew, based on my own limited experience of the Merja Zerga birds and published information. A re-reading of the review paper left me 90% certain, and I did note that some (if not all) those involved didn't see the bird. Sadly we will never know for certain, and unless the species is re-discovered no one else will ever see one, and I won't get a better photo. I think, unlike Eskimo Curlew, they were always rare in modern times, most curlew species still on the planet are in decline or have small populations, or both.

The Minsmere (2004) bird was a real example of misinformation. A chap from Belgium even appeared on local TV stating a case for it. However, I returned to the site after the initial fuss had died down, and managed to get a reasonably close photo of it. It had little mud on its blue-grey legs, Slender-billed legs are dark grey-black, although often look paler due to mud, but never this shade. Several other features didn't fit either, the bill was short but "curlew shaped" and quite thick at the base etc.

I have photographed all the other Curlews, should you be interested have a look at my wader gallery on the website.