Table of contents for November 2021 in Bird Watching

Birdwatching, for me, is all about surprise. The only Snowy Owls I’ve seen, for example, were in Guernsey, in mid-May. Whatever I expected on that island, it wasn’t them (they’d very likely ‘jumped’ a container ship). I hope that sense of surprise comes across in these pages, whether it’s Ruth Miller talking about unexpected encounters with familiar birds in unlikely places, or Dominic Couzens uncovering remarkable facts about the feeding habits of Black-tailed Godwits, or Ellen Bird explaining how even a flat’s balcony can deliver great birding experiences. So, when you’re out and about this month, remember to keep an open mind to new birds and new experiences, and enjoy whatever flies your way. It won’t be what you expected. SUBSCRIBE FOR 3.90 A MONTH SEE PAGE 6 IT’S NOT…

NOVEMBER BIRD OF THE MONTH LONG-TAILED TIT There is no cuter British bird than the Long-tailed Tit. Well, it could be argued that the white-headed ones from northern Europe are even cuter than our Badger-headed types, but they are not really ‘British birds’. Part of this perceived cuteness comes from the fact that they are tiny birds (only about 6cm long, without the 7cm tail; a Goldcrest is perhaps 8.5cm long with its short tail). And this, combined with the minuscule bill, neckless appearance, making it look like fluffy pom-poms on a stick, and the subtle pattern of black, white and pink adds up to a very sweet looking bird. At this time of year, Long-tailed Tits rove about in flocks of perhaps 20 or more (or fewer) individuals, often…

It is early October, and as has become something of a tradition in recent years, I’ve begun daily ‘visible migration’ (aka ‘vis mig’) counts from the south bank of Gunwade Lake, Ferry Meadows CP, in my home city of Peterborough. A week and a half into the daily morning counts (which are brief, at about an hour in length) and not much has been on the move, just a few Meadow Pipits over. In fact, the best sightings so far have been Otters, on three occasions (which are always exciting, and certainly more so than Meadow Pipits, with all due respect...). Yes, I recorded my first Lesser Redpoll of the autumn, this morning (6 October), but I can’t help remembering the antics of the first week or so of October,…

Money raised The Wildlife Trusts has raised more than £25 million in a year in its 30 by 30 campaign, which is built around a vision to put nature into recovery across at least 30% of land and sea by 2030, by raising an initial £30m. Now, 35 important nature recovery projects are underway to restore land for wildlife. The Wildlife Trusts’ 30 by 30 appeal asks people, individuals, corporates and communities to donate at: wildlifetrusts.org/30-30-30 Record numbers The BTO’s Garden BirdWatch did better than ever during 2020’s lockdowns, with more than 5.5 million individual records, the highest number counted in a decade (in 2019 it was 3.7 million). Since 1995, the survey has charted declines in species such as Greenfinches and the large increase in Goldfinches, as well as…

REMEMBER THE WATER The most obvious way to attract birds is by putting up feeders. But providing a water source is often more important, because it’s used for drinking and bathing, so remember to keep it topped up all year round. CREATE A NATURE FRIENDLY SPACE Birds will be more attracted to spaces that are nature friendly. So, why not try planting in window boxes and balcony planters. Grow wildflowers, veg or bulbs. This will bring in bees and other insects, as well as creating a more inviting space for birds. KEEP AN EYE OUT Practise keen and active looking every day, even if just for five minutes. Binoculars or not, try and identify what you see. Get to know your local birds, even the ones you might usually dismiss.…

Reedbeds are glorious places for birdwatching. It is not that they are diverse, bird-wise, or even that they are great paces to watch birds (far from it in most cases), but they are home to some very desirable birds, rarely seen elsewhere. Part of the attraction of reedbeds, for birds, is the very fact that they form a three dimensional curtain in which to ‘hide’ with minimal effort. So, most ‘reedbed birds’ are seen when flyingabove the reeds, or perhaps feeding on the edge. In many cases, these are birds which, for obvious reasons, are more often heard than seen. Indeed some of the most distinctive bird sounds are heard coming from reedbeds; think of the boom of the Bittern or the ‘piglet squeals’ of the Water Rail. But sounds…

COLLECT & KEEP Every month we bring you 10 more sites to build up your GO BIRDING collection MORE SITES For a full list of the sites we’ve featured, go to birdwatching.co.uk/gbindex ARGYLL MAX MILES BY CAR/BIKE: 20 MIN TIME: 5 HOURS LOCH INDAAL A superb sea loch with a great mix of Islay’s birds Islay’s known for its great birds at any time of year (and its whisky, of course), and whenever you visit, this large sea loch is a must, offering huge variety and easy viewing. JOHN MILES WHERE TO WATCH 1 A great place to start is Kintra, offering you six miles of sandy beach and straight into deep water. Look out for Chough feeding here and out in the bay, a mixture of divers. My best…

Stint or sandpiper? Q Is this a type of stint? It had green legs and hung around for a few days on the river. It appeared to be hunting insects and had a distinctive bobbing movement, a bit like a Dipper. My resident Kingfisher kept chasing it off! Sorry about the terrible photograph. Many thanks.Susan Rogan A Your mystery wading bird, Susan, is a Common Sandpiper. These birds are larger and much more numerous than stints, and are famed for their bobbing movements, bouncing up and down somewhat like a wagtail. They are also famous for walking along, grabbing insects. The green legs, obvious supercilium (pale ‘eyebrow’), rather plain brown upperparts, white underparts and long tail (for a wader) are the things to look for. Most distinctive, as well, is…

This five-day break is held in partnership with Bird Watching and includes: • Five nights’ dinner, bed and breakfast • En suite rooms equipped with hairdryer, tea and coffee-making facilities, TV and toiletries • Gala dinner • Programme of evening talks and quizzes by Bird Watching’s Matt Merritt, Mike Weedon and Gordon Hamlett • Guided walks • No single supplement • Leaders: Matt Merritt, Mike Weedon and Gordon Hamlett • Please note: a car is essential on this break Cost Bird Watching subscribers Standard Room £361 dinner bed and breakfast, per person, Superior Room £461 DBB, pp Bird Watching non-subscribers Standard Room £379 DBB pp, Superior Room £484 DBB pp Extra nights: BW subscribers £80pp per night DBB standard room, £99 superior; nonsubscribers £83pp per night DBB standard room, £105pp…

• PRICE: £1,495pp, no single supplement. Deposit £200. • DATES: Sat 26 March – Sat 2 April 2022. Other dates also available. Perhaps the ultimate early spring wildlife experience in Scotland! In Strathspey at this time, a local drive should produce Black Grouse at the lek. We will also seek Ptarmigan, Snow Bunting, Ring Ouzel, Raven, Red-throated Diver, Goldeneye, Peregrine, Crested Tit, Scottish Crossbill, Slavonian Grebe, Whooper Swan and many breeding waders. In private estate woodlands we have chances of Capercaillie, and we will search for raptors including perhaps the first returning Osprey. A moorland drive may give views of Black-throated Diver on lochs. A major feature will be our time on Mull. We target iconic wildlife at sites we know well, looking for Whitetailed Eagle and Golden Eagle, found…

NEW SERIES! Be a better bird photographer Ever since the advent of digital photography, wildlife photography has become increasingly more popular. A camera with long lens attached is almost as common a sight as a pair of binoculars around most wildlife reserves these days. Many people use their equipment to record their sightings and are perhaps not so concerned about the quality and composition of their images. But, for others, the photography bug starts biting and they set about trying to emulate some of the images they see on social media and in magazines such as this. Most quickly realise that getting a decent image isn’t as easy as it first seemed, even with that expensive DSLR and telephoto lens. In this article, I will explore how understanding the angle…

The Halcon Trek trousers are part of the Naturally Páramo range, “quiet, high performance outdoor clothing” that gets you “closer to nature”, and are designed for “wildlife and fieldwork activities”. They are made from Nikwax Wind Resistor, a water repellent, wind resistant, stretchy polyester. I found them well-made (in Vietnam), quiet and comfortable, with very good pocketing and not too much of it. There are two zip-up mesh hip pockets which are a good depth, and two gusseted cargo-type pockets on the front of them, each with a double-poppered flap. All of those pockets are large enough to take a softback Collins Bird Guide, but I wouldn’t recommend it(!). The waist fastens with two poppers, there are belt loops large enough for a 4cm belt, and if you need more…

Bo Beolens: Two Rose-coloured Starlings came in to roost in a palm tree outside my hotel bedroom window in Spain. Kieran Lynn: I was staying at a reserve in the Highlands and I saw a perched Golden Eagle from my bedroom window. If only it was always that easy! David Lindo: That is one of the hardest questions to answer... Finding a male Redstart on my patch, Wormwood Scrubs. John Miles: A Black Grouse cock on top of our hedge, chasing away three cock Pheasants, 15 yards from the window. He was after their hens!…

twitter.com/BirdWatchingMag facebook.com/BirdWatchingMag RARITY RATINGS 1 LONG-EARED OWL Though a widespread bird, found across most of the UK and even in Ireland (unlike the Tawny Owl), the Long-eared Owl is a secretive and largely nocturnal bird, so is relatively rarely encountered. This contrasts particularly with its closest relative the Short-eared Owl, which often flies about in broad daylight. But they are out there, if you know where to look. Up to 6,000 pairs of Long-eared Owls may breed each year in the country. From autumn through to spring, though, the best way to see them is at a known roost site (where they can be watched sleeping and occasionally opening an eye, by day). Known roost sites are generally either well-kept secrets (for fear of disturbance) or just poorly known, these…

Find the location closest to your destination and add or subtract the hours and minutes from the high tide time at London Bridge, below. SOUTH WEST Weston-Super-Mare (+5:05) Barnstaple (+4:30) Newquay (+3:32) Falmouth (+3:30) Plymouth (+4:05) Torquay (+4:40) Bournemouth (-5:09)* Portland (+4:57) St Peter Port (+4:53) Swanage (-5:19)* Portsmouth (-2:29) Southampton (-2:53) SOUTH EAST Ryde (-2:29) Brighton (-2:51) Eastbourne (-2:48) Dungeness (-3:05) Dover (-2:53) Margate (-1:52) Herne Bay (-1:24) Southend-on-sea (-1:22) Clacton-on-sea (-2:00) EAST ANGLIA Felixstowe Pier (-2:23) Aldeburgh (-2:53) Lowestoft (-4:23) Cromer (+4:56) Hunstanton (+4:44) WALES Colwyn Bay (-2:47) Holyhead (-3:28) Barmouth (-5:45) Aberystwyth (-6:11) Fishguard (+5:44) Swansea (+4:42) Milford Haven (+4:37) Cardiff (+5:15) NORTH WEST Whitehaven (-2:30) Douglas (-2:44) Morecambe (-2:33) Blackpool (-2:50) NORTH EAST Skegness (+4:29) Grimsby (+4:13) Bridlington (+2:58) Whitby (+2:20) Hartlepool (+1:59) Blyth (+1:46) Berwick…

ALL THE BIGGEST BIRD NEWS & EVENTS The UK’s first ever Golden Eagle Festival took place at the end of September, culminating in the official naming of Moffat in Dumfries and Galloway as the UK’s first Eagle Town. Organised by The South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project, with funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and support from Visit Moffat, Moffat Eagle Festival aimed to highlight the charity’s work to address low numbers of Golden Eagles in the area. The town’s businesses, reported a very busy week. Hotels and B&Bs were fully booked and local residents commented that the town was busier than it had been in a long time. Wildlife photographer Gordon Buchanan delivered the festival’s keynote speech. He said: “It has been a real privilege to have been…

With travel restrictions, nationwide lockdowns and sporadic bouts of isolation, much of the last year has been spent inside. I found respite from the monotony through birding from my bedroom window, which looks out onto our balcony. In one day it can see six different species: Goldfinches, Great Tits, Blue Tits, Robins, Woodpigeon and Feral Pigeons (Rock Doves). Much to the dismay of my housemates, we now have constant chattering outside our windows. It wasn’t easy to get here. Five long months passed before I had any visitors to my feeders. Perhaps moving to a city in the middle of a pandemic wasn’t the smartest idea. But it showed me that even when you’re stuck in a concrete box, birds will visit if you give them the chance. Community gardens…

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Ensuring that your borders have a variety of nectar-rich plants throughout the year means pollinating insects are attracted – they’re not only as a good food source for birds themselves, but they’ll also pollinate flowers, leading to plentiful fruits, berries and seeds for finches, tits and other birds in autumn and winter. Echinacea, Rudbeckia, sunflower, aster, Teasel and daisies are all good choices for pollinators and when the old flowers are left on the stems to set seed, provide a high-calorie food source for birds. Teasels will attract Goldfinches, while sunflower seed heads look majestic and will attract finches and tits. Water is a very important asset in any garden, so don’t neglect to provide it. A pond is a rich resource for all wildlife,…

The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty – better known as the National Trust – is a charity for heritage conservation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Founded in 1895 by Octavia Hill, Sir Robert Hunter and Hardwicke Rawnsley to “promote the permanent preservation for the benefit of the Nation of lands and tenements (including buildings) of beauty or historic interest”, it was given statutory powers, starting with the National Trust Act 1907. Historically, it acquired land by gift and sometimes by public subscription and appeal – after the World War II, the loss of country houses resulted in many such properties being acquired either by gift from the former owners or through the National Land Fund. Such houses and estates still make up a significant…

One of the delights of birdwatching is its unpredictability. You never know what you might see when you go out with your binoculars. You can play the odds by planning your destination with the season, the tides, or the weather conditions in mind, but you still can’t predict exactly what birds you will see. Every single day is different, and that is what adds to the excitement. One morning, we headed to Conwy RSPB in North Wales for a morning walk. It is situated beside the estuary of the Conwy River and the tide state can have a big impact on the birds you might see. When the tide is high, the birds are pushed onto the reserve lagoons to wait until the river level drops again, but at low…

• PRICE: £1,295pp, no single supplement. Deposit £200. • DATES: Sat 15 Jan – Sat 22 Jan 2022. Other dates available. Our main priority will be British specialities best sought in the Highlands, and we specifically target Capercaillie*, Ptarmigan, Black Grouse, Golden Eagle, White-tailed Eagle, Scottish Crossbill and Crested Tit. King Eider and Surf Scoter are regular winter visitors, and the unexpected can be expected! We maximise our list during the week and estimate around 120 species, including ‘difficult’ birds you might miss without a guide, or struggle to locate further south in the UK. The holiday is based at Heatherlea’s home at Mountview Hotel, in Nethy Bridge. We spend time in the adjacent Caledonian pinewoods of Abernethy Forest for speciality birds, visit the Cairngorms to see Ptarmigan, and explore…

Fully inclusive of cruise, the Longyearbyen to Oslo flight and our office and guiding services. Reserve the cabin of your choice! Prices from £3,495pp in shared cabins. Singles – please consider sharing with people of the same gender; this works very well in comfortable accommodation on this voyage. Single occupancy of a Twin Porthole cabin is priced at £4,995. Friendly and experienced Heatherlea guides will be excited to share their knowledge and enthusiasm, and we will be flexible in our itinerary, paying close attention to weather and ice, changing course and using inflatable zodiacs among the ice-floes, spending as much time ashore as possible. Expect a friendly, intimate atmosphere in a cosy and very comfortable onboard environment. OUR VESSEL The 80-cabin MV Hondius is ideal. Meeting the latest and highest…

ISO. A way of controlling sensitivity to available light, expressed as a number (eg ISO 500). Low ISO gives slower shutter speeds but less grainy images. High ISO allows higher shutter speeds at the price of grainier images. f-number. A measure, usually expressed as a fraction eg f/8) of the width aperture which allows light into the camera. High f-number means smaller aperture, so slower shutter speed but higher depth of focus (aka depth of field). Low f-number means wider aperture, so faster shutter speeds and smaller depth of field. Shutter speed (aka exposure time). The time (in seconds, so often expressed as a fraction, eg 1/5,000 sec) which the aperture is open, letting in light. Faster shutter speeds can ‘freeze’ the action. Depth of field. The apparent ‘depth’ front…

HELMETED HORNBILL T-SHIRT, £20 This hornbill is not like all the other hornbills - it has a solid casque. The other hornbills have hollow casques that may act as ‘boom boxes’ to amplify their calls. Sadly, the Helmeted Hornbill is critically endangered. Poachers kill it because ‘ornamental trinkets’ can be made from its bill. Buy one of these T-shirts and help BirdLife fight illegal poaching. And it’s not the only T-shirt in the End the Illegal Bird Trade range. Certified organic cotton. In stone blue, white or athletic grey. XS-XXL. birdlifestore.com JOHNSTON & JEFF SELECTED WILD BIRD BLEND, £13.99 – 12.75KG This seed mix is “designed to attract the widest variety of birds possible”. So every birdwatcher really should have some. It includes cereals, small seeds and vegetable oil, has…

SOUTH WEST Highlights In association with Unusually, Scilly was somewhat outdone by other parts of the country this September. The archipelago still produced the likes of Western Bonellis’ Warblers, a long-staying Balearic Woodchat Shrike (St Mary’s), and Baird’s Sandpiper, though. AVON CLEVEDON-WESTON-SUPER-MARE: Clevedon-Yeo logged 12 Pintails, two Grey Plover, a Little Ringed Plover, two Whimbrels, two Bar-tailed Godwits, Ruff, Sanderling, two Curlew Sandpipers, Little Stints, a Wood Sandpiper, 35 Knot, six Greenshanks, 1,000 Black-headed Gulls, a Mediterranean Gull, various egrets, a Marsh Harrier and White Wagtails. The Axe Estuary held a Glossy Ibis. Uphill had a Ruff. There were 46 Snipe at Bleadon Levels. A Firecrest was at Sand Point. Over 100 Meadow Pipits and the occasional Tree Pipit flew over both Sand Point and Clevedon. A Rose-coloured Starling was…

Since March 2020, things have changed massively where wildlife travel is concerned. A succession of lockdowns, restrictions on travel to foreign countries (and even within the different parts of the UK), and the uncertainty caused by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, have meant that some of the hitherto most popular destinations have been inaccessible. And, sadly a number of travel companies have had to call it a day. But there’s good news. Things are beginning to open up again, cautiously, and both large and small operators are increasingly able to offer much of the variety of birdwatching destinations that they did previously. Many birders, too, have taken the opportunity to explore Britain’s best birding areas, both the well-known old favourites and some less obvious spots. So, read on to discover some…

Matt Merritt: A Water Rail spearing a rat under some feeders was a bit of a shock! Mike Weedon: In June 2018, I went listening for local Quail, and found a singing Bluethroat! Tim Unwin: A Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming outside my bedroom window at 6am.…

Here is our four-weekly stab in the near dark about which really rare birds may possibly appear around about now. SOCIABLE LAPWING This lapwing species which breeds in central Asia has declined massively in recent decades. So, even though there are about 50 accepted UK records, only six have been in the 21st Century. Most have been in October and November, including the most recent bird, a long-stayer, first found at Crows-an-Wra, Cornwall, in late November 2020. They are grey brown with a prominent supercilium and a wing pattern like that of a Sabine’s Gull. MOURNING DOVE There have only ever been half a dozen accepted records of this small, North American dove, and November appears to be a good month for them to turn up. Perhaps another this year?…

MOTHS AND MORTAR Many moths are both residents and immigrants. One such is The Brick, an insect whose colour you can guess without needing to glance at the accompanying photograph. Although it breeds widely across much of Britain, inhabiting woodland, scrub and gardens, it is a scarce visitor to more far-flung locations. Indeed, the first one I ever saw was on Fair Isle, the hallowed bird-migration destination, amid an arrival of rare birds from Siberia. I wonder how it had flown? PLANT African arrival Although ragworts are familiar members of the daisy family, Narrow-leaved Ragwort is a relative newcomer on the scene. Native to South Africa, it established itself in southern England before gradually spreading north. Here it typically takes root on brownfield sites – roadsides, pavement cracks, car parks…

A couple of decades ago, I was involved with a project which provided camps on a ‘farm attraction’ for inner city kids. It wasn’t in the least surprising to find that ignorance of the countryside was legion among them – some genuinely believed carrots grew in bunches, others were really surprised to find where milk came from and totally disgusted when they found out the origin of their breakfast eggs! Not only was this easily forgiven, but it was quickly dispelled, as we explored the local woods and streams and hiked across fields. Kids terrified of the pitch-black nights, filled with weird noises from hooting owls to barking Foxes, soon adapted and relaxed into new knowledge and the fantastic freedom of being immersed in nature. What was not only surprising…

It’s rather late in the year to sign up for our #My200BirdYear challenge, but if you’re planning on doing it next year, you can put in some of the groundwork now. • Go to: birdwatching.co.uk/my-200-sign-up • Complete the form there, and you’re signed up • Keep an eye on our website: birdwatching.co.uk for regular updates, tips and advice • Join our Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/My200BirdYear to exchange sightings, photos and birding knowledge etc • Buy Bird Watching magazine for monthly features on the which species to look for, when, and where, and how to identify them when you do see them • Download our target list at: birdwatching.co.uk/target-list • Spend the rest of 2021 noting where you can find particular species close to home – you’ll get a flying start to…

DOMINIC COUZENS ON THE... Beware of casual observations assuming casual activities. Birds in the process of feeding are often a true marvel. Take the Black-tailed Godwit, for instance, our elegant, leggy wader of estuarine shallows, muddy freshwater margins and lagoon pools. Probing a long bill into the soft mud might sound like the easiest of foraging techniques and, certainly, Black-tailed Godwits give no impression of effort as they wade up to their tummies. They just immerse their bill – and often the head, too – and regularly seem to come up with something edible, simple as you like. But there is one way to understand that what these birds are doing is far from straightforward, and not merely picking from the substrate supermarket shelf. And that’s to think of Black-tailed…

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. 1 Black-headed Gull by Sandra Horseman Camera: Nikon CoolPix P1000 Lens: 135mm, Shutter Speed: 1/500 sec Aperture: f/5.6 ISO: 180 2 Gannet by Ross Cooper Camera: Nikon D500 Lens: 450mm, Shutter Speed: 1/1,250 sec Aperture: f/7.1 ISO: 160 3 Kingfisher by Trevor Burch Camera: Nikon D500 Lens: 500mm, Shutter Speed: 1/640 sec Aperture: f/7.1 ISO: 4,000 4 Curlew Sandpiper by David Hiley Camera: Canon EOS R5 Lens: 600mm, Shutter Speed: 1/3,200 sec Aperture: f/6.3 ISO: 1,600 WE LOVE... The Curlew Sandpiper in action (even showing the white rump). What an absolute joy!…

WWT London Wetland Centre is situated on the banks of the River Thames in Barnes. It is easily accessible by private and public transport and is close to both Barnes and Barnes Bridge stations. Buses from Barnes station and Hammersmith tube/bus station stop at the Red Lion Pub on Castlenau, just a five-minute walk to the Centre. There is spacious free parking for visitors arriving by car (not guaranteed on busy days), with disabled spaces near the entrance. The Centre is located just off the A306, which runs from the South Circular at Roehampton to Hammersmith. Once in Barnes you can follow the brown tourist signs to the Centre. The Centre is situated outside the London Congestion Charging Zone. For further information on public transport please visit: www.tfl.gov.uk • The…

The Rolling Bear One morning we were cruising along the edge of the pack ice, which stretched solidly northwards off our starboard as far as the eye could see. It was a beautiful blue day, not a breath of wind, and the dazzling light caught the icy peaks of the sharp, frozen mountains of Svalbard on our port side. For all we knew, here at nearly 81° latitude, we could have been the most northerly people on planet Earth. Only research teams and perhaps a few crazy hunters could have been closer to the North Pole than us. Without warning (and that’s what happens folks!) a Polar Bear came racing across the ice directly towards us. Our galley team were cooking fish for lunch, and we imagined this young individual…

DAVID LINDO THE URBAN BIRDER One of the many birdy conundrums that has always been on my mind since childhood was the question: what was the House Finch called before urbanisation in North America? Along with its relatives, the Purple and Cassin’s Finches, House Finches are no longer deemed as close relations to the Old World rosefinches, with which they were originally lumped, and have now been placed in their own genus of three. However, you would be forgiven for thinking of this little finch, which is roughly the size of a slender House Sparrow, as being a type of rosefinch, because the males are not dissimilar to a male Common Rosefinch, with varying amounts of red on their head, shoulders and breast, plus a similarly brown streaky body. The…

EUROPE’S BIRDS ROB HUME, ROBERT STILL, ANDY SWASH AND HUGH HARROP, WILD GUIDES/PRINCETON, SB, £20 With the 2nd edition of British Birds in this series only just ‘drying off’, here comes an impressive 640 pages of what Europe has to offer in the bird world. It covers more than 900 species, and is illustrated with 4,700 photographs, making Europe’s Birds probably the most comprehensive, authoritative and ambitious single-volume photographic guide to Europe’s birds ever produced. All species are covered by photographs and distribution maps with many families, such as waders, birds of prey, ducks etc., also having added flight shots. Essential if your birding takes you a little further afield. BOOK OF THE MONTH WILD MULL STEPHEN LITTLEWOOD AND MARTIN JONES PELAGIC, SB, £25 This island thoroughly deserves this coverage,…