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

Bonus digital content!

Queuing in the Cotswolds

The greatest spectacle • The appearance of a Spectacled Eider in the Netherlands sparked what was surely Europe’s biggest-ever twitch.

Least expected find • Taking advantage of some fine early January weather, Nick Wall cashed in with a rare midwinter discovery.

Booted unblocked • Autumn 2024’s pale-morph Booted Eagle reappeared in January, causing carloads of twitchers to head for Cornwall.

Full steam ahead • The new year got off to a rapid start, with birders in northeast England in particular treated to a strong line-up of rare and scarce winter visitors, as Sam Viles explains.

New year, new thrills • A long list of major finds got 2025 off to a flier for regional birders, as Sam Viles reports.

Make 2025 your best birding year with BIRDGUIDES FIRST FOR BIRD NEWS • Receive instant and reliable bird sightings seven days a week

The laws of listing • Our columnist puzzles over some of the questionable scenarios birders face when deciding what to count.

A disappointing response • After the new government said it had “no plans” to end driven grouse shooting, our columnist is even more up for the fight.

Photo of the Year 2024 • The winner of the 19th annual Photo of the Year has been decided after a fortnight of voting by Birdwatch and BirdGuides readers. Here, we share details of the winner and runners up.

Twenty years of Corvo birding • Two decades of dedicated autumn coverage has cemented a tiny Azorean island as one of the world’s top vagrant hot-spots. Peter Alfrey reflects on what we have learnt.

A life of county listing: Sussex • In the first instalment of a new occasional series, Paul James discusses the years of effort and enjoyment invested into listing in his beloved Sussex, including memories of some special birds.

Off the wall • Forty years have passed since the last British record of Wallcreeper. Why are they not being found? Are we simply overlooking them, or not searching for them in the right places? David Campbell investigates.

American Goshawk • The split of Northern Goshawk into two species has brought the ID of Nearctic birds into focus for European birders. Thibaut Chansac details the various distinguishing features.

The not-so-common duck • Once a familiar winter sight across much of Britain and Ireland, Common Pochard’s numbers and distribution are on the wane. Kane Brides takes a closer look at this beautiful waterbird.

A picture of health • Ringing has helped scientists to better understand migration and vagrancy, but as the BTO’s Ruth Walker explains, the practice is also proving crucially important in the monitoring and tracking of diseases.

Passion for optics • Not widely known in birding circles, GPO’s Passion ED binocular range comes under the spotlight. Mike Alibone put its competitively priced 8x42 model to the test.

Need to read

A vision in colour

Secrets of the subcontinent

Plants in your pocket

Read Birdwatch the eco-friendly way • Unlock more than 30 years of Birdwatch with a subscription to the Birdwatch Digital Archive

RAW processing

Eurasian Treecreeper

Here comes spring!

Make the most of March

What shapes bird sounds?

Western Brazil

your letters & photos

In the next issue April

Brill eider • Our columnist recently joined thousands of European birders in paying homage to a mega Arctic visitor.