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

Editorial

What’s in the digital edition?

SCRAPPING FOR SURVIVAL

Kite flies far and wide • Britain’s first twitchable Black-winged Kite caused a stir when found in Norfolk in mid-July, subsequently attracting large crowds as it toured East Anglia.

Donegal delight • Ireland’s third Black-winged Pratincole – and its first for nearly 50 years – was a sterling find for Chris Ingram.

Britain’s best-ever seabirding spell? • At the end of July, Scilly was treated to a sensational run of seabirds, including multiple megas – and Sam Viles was lucky enough to be a part of the action.

West is best! • July 2023 was dominated by a westerly airflow – and with it came extraordinary seabirding in the South-West, plus some early North American waders. Sam Viles reports.

Breaking a duck • The region’s first White-faced Whistling Duck in Cape Verde was the major news, while Spain enjoyed a particularly fruitful month. Sam Viles reports.

FREE 30-DAY TRIAL TO THE UK’S NO.1. BIRD SIGHTING SERVICE • Join thousands across Britain and Ireland who trust BirdGuides as their chosen service, delivering efficient and reliable bird sighting news 7 days a week. Never miss a mega again!

ALAN TILMOUTH Dual disaster ahead • Pressure to develop the A1 into dual carriageway in Northumberland will only make matters worse for wildlife along this stretch of road, writes our columnist.

ARJUN DUTTA AI: a birder’s friend or foe? • Apps like Merlin Bird ID are becoming increasingly popular among birders. But what factors need to be considered when it comes to artificial intelligence?

East coast seabird extravaganza • A day seawatching on the North Sea coast in late summer or autumn can bring a rich variety of passage species, from wildfowl and waders to truly pelagic birds, explains Mark Newsome.

Six top North Sea seawatching sites • Here is a selection of some of the best locations to consider visiting when conditions look promising for seabird action this autumn.

Living life on the edge • To many birders it is a highly prized target on a seawatch, but Leach’s Storm Petrel also breeds at remote outposts in the north-west of Britain and Ireland, which it visits at night. However, this little-known and elusive seabird is in trouble, as the RSPB’s Zoe Deakin explains.

American calidrids • With the arrival of September comes the possibility of shorebirds reaching Europe from Arctic Canada, many of which were born only weeks previous to their transatlantic crossings. Finding and identifying these delightful birds is one of the highlights of every autumn. Josh Jones runs through some of the possibilities from the genus Calidris.

September snakebird • For British birders, September represents the best month to encounter the fascinating and ever-popular Wryneck. Ed Stubbs takes a closer look at this captivating member of the woodpecker family.

Paradise parched • As northern Europe feasts on Huelva province’s ‘drought strawberries’, Spain’s iconic Doñana National Park is dying of thirst. Niki Williamson reports.

Bringing back Bali Myna • The Critically Endangered Bali Myna is a beautiful species endemic to its eponymous island in Indonesia – so beguiling that it became a status symbol and was trapped to extinction in the wild. David Callahan tells the chequered story of its successful reintroduction.

A sublime performer • The improving capabilities of mirrorless cameras continue to impress, as Kit Day found out when he tested Canon’s flagship model.

Bringing life into our...