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

What’s in the digital edition?

LAST OF THEIR KIND

Yorkshire bunting is British second • A long weekend at Flamborough Head was packed full of good birds for Simon Gillings, who ended his trip by discovering a true beast from the east.

Whalsay wonder • The discovery of a confiding Iduna warbler resulted in the sensational find of a first for Britain by John Irvine.

Scaup sensation • Reuben Veal couldn’t believe his eyes when he located a big flock of Nearctic wildfowl at a Cornish waterbody.

An October for the ages • The sensational autumn continued, with a first and second for Britain among the highlights, along with early signs of a ‘Waxwing winter’. Sam Viles reports.

To the dark side • Norway scored a regional second during a blockbuster month which also saw more than 200 individual Nearctic landbirds reach Corvo alone. Sam Viles reports on a terrific October across the WP.

Diamonds in the rough • Our columnist reflects on some of the less-than-scenic – and frankly unappealing – places that he’s seen superb birds in the north of England.

Britain’s most controversial bird • How much damage does the non-native Common Pheasant cause to Britain’s ecosystems – and would they even persist in this country without annual mass releases? Our columnist ponders a contentious species.

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Higher ground • Many of the world’s birds are uniquely adapted to the extremes of montane environments. David Callahan ponders what will happen to them as climate change shrinks their isolated habitats.

An amazing American arrival • The events of late September 2023 will live long in the memory for all British and Irish birders as elements combined to deliver a stunning fall of Nearctic landbirds. Josh Jones reflects on how and why it happened.

Winter bunting flocks • The British landscape is dominated by farming and, while plenty of it is degraded and low in biodiversity, there are still areas that provide sanctuary to farmland species. Among those that use such habitats in winter are our two most common buntings, Reed Bunting and Yellowhammer – and locating flocks of these species offers the possibility of rarer prizes, writes Ed Stubbs.

Birders’ Choice Awards 2023 • Now in its ninth year, the Birders’ Choice Awards is back! Who are the heroes – and the villains – of conservation? What was this year’s outstanding rarity? Which discoveries left you awed and inspired? Tell us your views on the best and worst in birding in 2023 and you could win a pair of Hawke 8x42 Endurance ED binoculars worth £289.

Putting wildlife in the picture • Early November saw the esteemed The Natural Eye exhibition celebrate its 60th anniversary. Josh Jones reports on a particularly memorable showcase of the finest wildlife art around and reveals the winner of this year’s Birdwatch and SWAROVSKI OPTIK Artist of the Year award.

Veld of birds • Situated in the heart of South Africa, Renosterveld is one of the richest botanical habitats in the world. Although this floral kingdom is teeming with endemic wildflowers and spectacular birds, today only 5% remains. Christie Reed of the World Land Trust explains how the Overberg Renosterveld Conservation Trust (ORCT) is dedicated to protecting and expanding this extraordinary ecosystem.

Ramping up a gear • In line...