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
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A hat-trick of lost birds in the mountains of New Ireland
Shock Scottish shrike • Zoology student Ian Redfield made a stunning discovery while surveying Corn Buntings in Fife. Professor Will Cresswell took on the task of managing a memorable twitch, but another chance soon came around for those who couldn’t make it.
Turning blue in the cheeks • David Roche awoke from an afternoon nap to news of a stunning Orcadian first.
Tails of the unexpected • July was a month in which two records of a mega shrike occurred within a day of each other and a headcount of Orkney sheep sparked a twitch to the Northern Isles. David Campbell reports on these and other surprising summer events.
Super Scandi summer • July produced a slew of exciting records, many of which were in Scandinavia, including a regional second and a wandering vulture. Ed Stubbs rounds up the month’s highlights from across the region.
Remembering Bill Oddie • The legendary Bill Oddie supported Birdwatch from the start and remained involved with the magazine for the next three decades. His friend and former colleague Stephen Moss looks back at his contributions and how he helped turn birding from a niche hobby to the mass-participation pastime enjoyed by millions of people today.
WE HELP GROW YOUR LIFE LIST
Superb owl summer • Our columnist reflects on a summer of monitoring his local Long-eared Owls, with 2026 proving to be a successful breeding season for the elusive species.
Time to listen to petitions • Our columnist suggests that Andy Burnham should take a careful look at government petitions over the summer and take public concern for wildlife seriously.
Caught by surprise • Ringers sometimes handle some truly remarkable rarities while advancing our knowledge of birds. Mark Grantham of the British Trust for Ornithology celebrates the most legendary catches, a few of which almost got away.
Fortunes of the village dove • Arriving in the 1950s, Collared Dove spread across the country at astonishing speed before becoming one of our most familiar garden birds. Yet, after decades of seemingly unstoppable success, recent survey results suggest the species may now have entered a worrying period of decline, writes Ed Stubbs.
Long-legged Buzzard • Having identified the first for Britain in Shetland from images, Dave Cooper provides his insights into this challenging raptor. Get to know its plumages and structure so that you can be ready to confirm the next vagrant.
The art of rewilding • Following a year in which members of the Society of Wildlife Artists documented the recovery of Massingham Heath, Johnnie Foker reflects on the unfolding story of a landscape in transition.
About the Society of Wildlife Artists
Buff and ready • Endearing yet awe-inspiring, Buff-breasted Sandpiper connects European birders to America’s wildest landscapes. Sam Jones discusses an emblematic vagrant.
Moving with the times • Can we expect all reintroduction projects to be the best solution in a rapidly changing world? Dr Alexander Lees provides a reality check on one of conservation’s most pressing debates.
Legends of BirdGuides • Working the BirdGuides sightings desk means reporting many thousands of birds each year. David Campbell runs through the rarities and local celebrities that stick in the memory through extraordinary stays, annual returns and enduring popularity.
Remake, remodel • Hot off the production line, Hawke’s ED X ‘Gen 2’ Frontier binocular is designed to...