Curlew bill

I saw this bill with a Curlew attached to it - isn't it just huge? There were plenty of curlews on the beach at Pett, but none had a hooter as large as this one.

Do curlew bills grow with age - does this signify a venerable bird, or jut one with an outsize schnoz?
A more normal sized bill is seen in the background, emphasising the impressive snout of the other.
One final thought - is there any subtle difference between 'bill' and 'beak'? Thompson's Dictionary of Birds says that the words are synonymous, but to me 'beak' tends to be more passerine-sized.