A Curlew & A Whimbrel

A Curlew and a Whimbrel. Watercolour on board. Signed lower right and dated lower right 1926. In a glazed frame. 205 x 300mm.

An outstanding watercolour for Thorburn’s important work ‘British Birds’ published in 4 folio volumes in the new edition 1925-26. This is the original watercolour for plate 162.

Thorburn depicts these two large, similar-looking wading birds, which are often confused but differ in size (the Whimbrel is smaller), bill shape (Whimbrel’s bill bends sharply at the tip), with distinct pale crown stripe and darker wing patterns on the Whimbrel. Thorburn’s excellent detailed artwork captures these key differences.

The Curlew is by far the more common of the two birds, breeding on moorlands, hill pastures and hay meadows in upland areas of north and west Britain. There are also smaller populations nesting on coastal marshes, bogs, floodplains, lowland farmland, heaths and downs. In Ireland, the curlew is more widely but sparsely distributed. In winter, most leave their breeding areas to gather in flocks on and near all coasts, where their numbers are boosted by continental immigrants.

In the British Isles, the whimbrel breeds only in northern Scotland. Otherwise, it is a regular spring and autumn passage migrant, occurring in varying numbers. It is usually seen in small or smallish flocks along most coasts and at inland reservoirs.

Provenance: Scott Kelly – Edinburgh & Cairngorms. Friend of Thorburn & Antarctic explorer Robert Falcon Scott.