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?

The great crane comeback

Garden goody is Cornish first • The presence of a White-crowned Sparrow in a Cornwall garden may have been the fourth of the year in Britain, but as a county first it was big news.

Fleeting junco teases Irish birders • In Co Wicklow, late news of a Dark-eyed Junco meant that the bird went untwitched.

Record gathering of Little Buntings • An unprecedented congregation of the scarcity has been discovered seeing out the winter in west Cornwall.

Winter wildfowl and Waxwings • A mild and stormy end to 2023 saw the Waxwing influx gather further momentum, while a selection of rare duck and geese were on offer across Britain. Sam Viles reports.

Snow surprises • Much of Europe endured cold temperatures and snowfall during December, but there were plenty of rarities to be found as 2023 in the WP region went out with a bang. Ed Stubbs reports.

Wey aye to AI? • As AI technology advances in birding and wildlife recording in general, our columnist ponders what forms future software and apps may take.

Countryside custodians • Our columnist suggests that it’s time for the farming industry to take a long, hard look at itself, as wildlife populations continue to crash.

THE WINNERS • It’s a wrap! Voting in the Birders’ Choice Awards 2023 has closed, all the responses have been counted up and the results are in. Read on to find out all about the winners and the losers of the past 12 months.

The rarest birding year? • The year 2023 will live long in the memory for British and Irish birders, with an astonishing array of rarities seen, blockers falling and national firsts found. Sam Viles looks back at the many highs it delivered.

An Arctic enigma • Breeding in the wilds of Arctic Canada is a relatively unknown population of Brent Goose, still unrecognised as a valid taxon but appearing in Britain and Ireland in small numbers during winter. Brian McCloskey outlines what is known about the mysterious Grey-bellied Brant.

Scotland: birding and listing • Birding in Scotland is widely treasured for the country’s special residents and phenomenal track record with extreme rarities. But how popular is Scottish listing, and what benefits and challenges does it bring? Mark Wilkinson explains.

Field ID notes Scoter flocks • Scoter are among the most fascinating of all duck, yet getting good views of these sea dwellers can be a challenge, requiring great patience and knowledge of local conditions. Nick Littlewood shares his expertise of these testing birds.

Become a better birder with Birdwatch

North-western frontier • Famed for its hilltop forts and beautiful palaces, Rajasthan is steeped in history. But this part of India also offers brilliant winter birding, as Josh Jones found out.

Revolution is here • After years taking photos with Nikon DSLR cameras, Steve Young recently switched to one of the brand’s mirrorless models – and was thoroughly impressed.

All about British owls

Moving mountains

A day of birds

New Scottish tome

Peak design

A beautiful creation

BEHIND THE LENS Metering

Eurasian Siskin

Waxwing

Getting ready for spring

Making the most of winter

All down to size

Fitting the bill

your letters &photos

In the next issue March

The renaming game • After the American Ornithological Society’s decision to change the English names of bird species honouring people, our...