Birdwatch

Birdwatch magazine is the UK’s number one bird watching magazine for keen birders, featuring the latest rarity reports, ID guides, optics reviews and birding holidays, plus features and news from across the world.

Birdwatch

Editor’s Note

Bonus digital content!

Black magic!

Rare owl is a hoot for twitchers • A Dark-breasted Barn Owl recently caused great excitement only a stone’s throw from Birdwatch HQ, as Josh Jones reports.

Egyptian Vulture promoted to Category A

Migration stations! • High pressure at the end of the month saw spring migrants pour in, with a mind-blowing influx of Hoopoes and a selection of intriguing wagtails among the highlights. Sam Viles reports.

Drumming up interest • Spring began in earnest across the region and rarities were discovered in various locations, with Sweden scoring a Grey-headed Lapwing, Denmark an Indigo Bunting and Morocco a Lesser Moorhen, as Sam Viles reports.

DAVID CAMPBELL Twitching’s lost mystery • Our columnist ponders the loss of intrigue and education from twitching, with most rarities nowadays showcased all over the internet within hours of discovery.

MARK AVERY Spring clean • With spring upon us, Mark reflects on a year of columns and sees whether there has been much, if any, action on the issues he has discussed.

The cryptic cracker • For a tiny bird that will fit into the palm of a hand, Temminck’s Stint is certainly well travelled. Simon Papps profiles a scarce migrant wader that’s on every British birder’s wishlist each spring and autumn.

Eyes south for seabirds • The eastern stretch of the English Channel from Dungeness to Portland Bill has some excellent spring seawatching sites. Laurence Pitcher explains how putting in the hours can produce remarkable results.

Ruddy Duck redux • Until fairly recently, Ruddy Duck was one of the most widespread introduced bird species in the UK – but that was before the infamous DEFRA cull. David Callahan tells its story and asks whether the cull was justified and successful.

Common and Thrush Nightingales • The two closely related and similar-looking nightingale species are more famous for their songs than their plumage. Andy Stoddart suggests tips for finding and identifying this subtly beautiful but notoriously tricky species pair, which can be extremely challenging to see well.

Big fenland year • Focusing on patch birding in 2024, Josh Jones attempted to see as many species as possible in his local area – would it prove to be a record-breaking year?

New horizons • A recent move to North Wales saw Lauren Evans searching for a new local patch. Despite a slow start, the area around Holyhead has paid dividends in its first year, with highlights including falls of migrants, rarities and plenty of other surprises.

Asia’s treasure island • Ed Stubbs reports back from a recent trip to the endemicrich island of Taiwan, where spectacular pheasants and rare waterbirds are among the top targets in stunning scenery and a fabulous diversity of habitats.

A world first in birding optics • Placing an emphasis on going ‘tripod free’, Kite Optics has launched the world’s first image-stabilised handheld telescope. Mike Alibone assesses the performance of this unique piece of optical equipment.

Remarkable resilience

Up-to-date Iberia

A lasting legacy

The remains in Spain

Life everywhere

Camera support

Sedge Warbler

Groovy UV

Eggs benefit

Remembering … May

Canary Islands

Join BirdGuides for an exciting birding tour • Journey through East Yorkshire’s migration hot-spots to witness awe-inspiring autumn migration and spectacular coastal scenery

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