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

Contents

Suffolk swamp monster

The most excellent reed • The bird of 2025 so far was further proof that the big one travels alone, as a steady spring on Fair Isle exploded into life when Alex Penn found a beast from the east.

Flamborough on song • Patrick Commons was left shocked when his morning walk along the clifftop at an East Yorkshire hot-spot sparked a major twitch.

… and a song for the Irish! • Ireland’s first Song Sparrow had birders heading for a remote island off the Co Donegal coastline.

The cheek of it • Britain’s first twitchable Blue-cheeked Bee-eater since 2009 required a rapid response from would-be admirers.

Summer loving! • There was no midsummer lull as June produced a spectacular array of megas and other rarities, as Sam Viles discusses.

That’s why birders go to Iceland • The Land of Fire and Ice hosted a selection of outstanding rarities during the midsummer weeks, as Sam Viles discusses.

Where are all the wheatears? • After a blank spring for sightings of an iconic common migrant in his local area, our columnist weighs up the pros and cons of south-coast birding.

Cavalier approach • Despite world-class data on the UK’s declining wildlife being available, our columnist feels that government officials no longer take the science seriously.

Raptor capital • There is no better location than Gibraltar for enjoying intimate views of migrating birds of prey in both spring and autumn, making it the ideal place for enjoying a holiday while soaking up some of the best birding that Europe has to offer.

A life of county listing: Cheshire • With a focus on her productive coastal patch at Red Rocks, Jane Turner recounts some of the many highlights during a lifetime of birding in Cheshire.

It’s showtime • Famed for its birdfair, Rutland Water is also a renowned birding site. Local resident and fair founder Tim Appleton celebrates five decades of the reservoir with a look back at its development and many avian highlights over the years.

An impressive little gathering • George Bennett found Hornsea Mere’s first Little Gull more than 70 years ago. Here he charts the remarkable history of the species at the East Yorkshire site.

South Polar Skua • Until recently considered a remote possibility in British and Irish waters, South Polar Skua is now viewed as a realistic target. Bob Flood and Daniel López-Velasco explain how to recognise this subtle seabird rarity.

The ghost of migration past • Once a classic, expected scarce migrant in Britain – especially in autumn – Ortolan Bunting records have sharply declined, with record-breaking low numbers in recent years. This trend seems unlikely to change, as Ed Stubbs writes.

Less haste with the rename game • With moves afoot stateside to revise the names of birds named after people, ornithological biographer Barbara Mearns argues that such a process would erase important aspects of natural history.

Hidden oasis • The remote desert nation of Mauritania offers a host of exciting birds that prove an irresistible draw for Western Palearctic birders. Brian McCloskey provides an update on the species and logistics involved in a successful visit.

Tipped for the top • Leica’s new modular Televid portfolio sees the introduction of a set of upgraded telescopes, along with a range of accessories aimed primarily at facilitating digiscoping. Mike Alibone puts the top model to the test.

Another swift brick in the wall

All-round performer • A recently released zoom lens from Nikon offers...