Bird Watching

Bird Watching is Britain’s best-selling birdwatching magazine. Each issue is packed with expert advice on when, where and how to see more birds, from common garden visitors to the most elusive rarities. There are features from some of British birdwatching’s best-known names, superbly illustrated by the work of the world’s best bird photographers, plus comprehensive coverage of all the latest sightings, guides to the best birdwatching sites, ID masterclasses, news and reviews of all the latest gear.

Welcome

BIRDING QUESTION • We ask this month’s contributors: What’s the most unusual bird you’ve seen in your garden?

...and the Bird Watching team’s answers

YOUR BIRDING MONTH

FIVE TO FIND IN APRIL • April is a wonderful month for birdwatching, arguably even better than May for certain birds. Migration is in full swing, with warblers, chats, flycatchers, waders, terns, Turtle Doves and Cuckoos among the delights awaiting us at our favourite sites.

RARITY PREDICTOR

HOBBY

NUTHATCH NESTHOLES

Two master singers: Blackcap vs Garden Warbler

WAGTAILS AND PIPITS IN NUMBERS

Summer plumage divers • Two species of diver breed regularly (in quite small numbers) in the UK: the Red-throated Diver and the Black-throated Diver. Great Northern Divers are more northerly breeders, but non-breeders can be seen wearing their ‘breeding plumage’ in British waters in spring and summer. White-billed Diver is a rare but regular bird wintering mainly off northern Scottish coasts (such as off Aberdeenshire), and off the Northern Isles, as well as in Hebridean waters to the west. Some of these will be starting to look very summery by this time of year.

UK TIDES APRIL • The times below are for high tide, when waders and wildfowl will be pushed closer to dry land...

Beyond Birdwatching • Your local countryside should be bursting into life, says James Lowen, with plants and insects leading the way

Weedon’s world • The odd weather in the middle of February turned up some great local birding in and around Mike’s home city

Sites hit by Covid crisis • The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and the lockdowns that go with it, have had a devastating impact on at least two iconic birdwatching locations

GRUMPY OLD BIRDER • Bo Beolens asks: Are we getting a bum deal when it comes to toilet roll?

NEWS IN BRIEF

My200BirdYear Challenge • If you haven’t already, now’s the time to sign up for our

Easy plovers • Follow this author’s lead and set yourself the challenge (when permitted to do so) of seeing three of our wonderful plovers in one day…

THE MEANING OF SCIENTIFIC NAMES

WHERE TO SEE PLOVERS • Lapwings and Golden Plovers can turn up pretty much anywhere in lowland Britain in winter, but nevertheless, coastal sites are often the best place to look for them. Try some of these…

Fabulous Firecrest • Now is the perfect time of year to seek out a lovely Firecrest on your next lockdown walk…

My birding life • Here, we catch up with author Stephen Moss and learn how a visiting Jackdaw encouraged him into a life of birding…

Mrs Moreau’s Warbler

Hastings rarities

ID Challenge • This month’s challenge is about nothing but spring warblers

Answers & solutions • Check your answers against our explanations. Remember, as ever, there are no ‘trick’ birds or extreme rarities among those here

ID Tips & tricks • Here are a few extra tips to help you to identify warblers

GO BIRDING • 10 GREAT SITES FOR BRILLIANT BIRDWATCHING

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