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 your favourite wildfowl species?

...and the Bird Watching team’s answers

YOUR BIRDING MONTH • DECEMBER

FIVE TO FIND IN DECEMBER

RARITY PREDICTOR

Small finches • We have a few small species of finch which can potentially be mistaken for each other, especially in female plumage (most finches have pronounced plumage dimorphism ie., the males and females look different from each other). Here are the main contenders and brief ID pointers. Goldfinch has been left out for being too easy to identify.

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

Beyond Birdwatching • As the year closes, find joy in the commonplace, suggests James Lowen.

Weedon’s World • As October progessed, Mike’s efforts to add to his local year list finally paid off with some welcome bird-finding

Birdcrime report reveals worst year on record • Wildlife criminals took advantage of Covid lockdown to boost crimes

Grumpy Old Birder • This month, Bo tried his hand at the closest he gets, these days, to a bit of local twitching

NEWS IN BRIEF

Win a birding trip to Columbia!

Switching off • Trainspotting: Thirty-minute birder Amanda Tuke encourages you to look away from your book or phone, and squeeze in some birding while you’re travelling.

Get crafty at CHRISTMAS! • Why not provide some extra treats for your garden birds, using the festive season as your inspiration? Iona Chisholm suggests some festive family activities…

Swan VISTA • The huge number of ‘wild swans’ which winter in the UK makes an almost unmatched spectacle

The art that brought BIRDS TO LIFE • When you pick up your field guide to try to identify different species, have you ever wondered how the first field guides came about?

Don’t let me be MISUNDERSTOOD… • The Magpie is known as a ‘bad boy’ of the birding world, but is it entirely deserving of its reputation as a thief and aggressor?

ROBINS around the WORLD • ’Tis the season when you’ll see them everywhere in the UK, but robins also thrive far away from our shores

IDChallenge • This month’s challenge features wintering geese. How many can you name?

Answers & solutions • Check your answers against our explanations. Remember, there are no ‘trick’ birds or extreme rarities here, just regularly occurring birds in the UK

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

GO BIRDING • 10 GREAT SITES FOR BRILLIANT BIRDWATCHING

PRACTICAL INFO

PRACTICAL INFO

PRACTICAL INFO

PRACTICAL INFO

PRACTICAL INFO

PRACTICAL INFO:

PRACTICAL INFO

PRACTICAL INFO

PRACTICAL INFO

PRACTICAL INFO

Reader Shots • Send your snaps to birdwatching@bauermedia.co.uk to be in with a chance of seeing your photo in print. All images should be high resolution JPEG files.

YOURVIEW • PHOTOS, LETTER, TWEETS, QUESTIONS – HAVE YOUR SAY

PICS FROM OUR FACEBOOK GROUP

Your Questions

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