If birds fascinate you, and you are not yet a member of the British Trust for Ornithology, then I implore you to join. This charity is a shining beacon for both ‘Citizen Science’ and putting all their hard-won data into the public forum. Their online resources are quite simply staggering and everyone I have come across at the charity has been only too happy to help me source information and respond to endless queries with unrelenting enthusiasm. Thanks particularly must go to Paul Stancliffe, Carole Showell, Chris Hewson, Jez Blackburn, Andy Clements, Carl Barimore and Mike Toms. I’m also a big supporter of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, and James Lees, Dave Paynter and Larry Griffin have been incredibly generous in furnishing me with invaluable information and first-hand accounts.
Outside the conservation sector I have also been fortunate to have dipped into a substantial number of wells of expertise. Denise Wawman has helped provide colourful insight into the private lives of her Robins and Blue Tits, Terry Holvey has shared his obsession with Blue Tits, Charlie Hamilton James’ knowledge on Kingfishers is world-class and what my good pals Ed Drewitt and Dave Culley don’t know about Peregrines and Tawny Owls respectively is frankly hardly worth knowing. I’m also indebted to Hamish Smith for filling in some of the blanks about Peregrines, Juan Brown for helping with Puffins and Raymond Duncan for passing on so much interesting data on Waxwings.
At Bloomsbury I’m grateful to Jim Martin for not only steering me in the right direction but also gently prodding me at the right time, Jane Lawes for overseeing the production of the book with seamless efficiency and Sara Hulse for her sharp, incisive and grammatically spot-on edit. I was also delighted when Darren Woodhead agreed to carry out the artwork. His deft brush and pencil strokes bring the birds to life, making them seemingly fly straight off the page, and the book is immeasurably better for his contribution.
Finally, I would like to place on record my immense gratitude to two very important people who have had a strong guiding hand in shaping my career over the last decade. Stephen Moss and Nigel Redman are not just brilliant birders, but they are also great friends - and I thank you gentlemen for your comradeship, advice and generosity of spirit.
Index
abmigration here–here
Anemone, Wood here
apples here, here
April here–here
Cuckoo here–here
Kingfisher here–here, here–here, here–here
Lapwing here–here, here, here, here–here
Nightingale here, here–here, here–here
Owl, Tawny here–here, here–here, here–here
Peregrine here, here–here, here–here
Puffin here–here
Robin here–here, here, here–here
Swallow here–here
Swan, Bewick’s here, here–here, here
Tit, Blue here–here, here–here, here
Waxwing here–here, here, here–here
August here
Cuckoo here–here, here, here–here, here–here
Kingfisher here–here, here, here
Lapwing here, here–here
Nightingale here–here, here, here–here, here–here
Owl, Tawny here–here, here–here, here–here
Peregrine here–here, here–here, here–here
Puffin here–here, here, here–here
Robin here, here–here, here
Swallow here–here, here–here, here
Swan, Bewick’s here–here, here–here, here
Tit, Blue here–here, here, here–here
Waxwing here, here, here–here
Badger here, here
Bearberry here
Beech here
Bempton Cliffs, Yorkshire here–here
Bilberry here, here
Birch here
Bittern here
Blackbird here, here, here, here, here, here
Blackcap here, here
Blenny here
Bluebell here
Boar, Wild here
Bonxie here
British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here–here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here–here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here
Bullhead here, here
Buzzard here
calls
Cuckoo here–here
Owl, Tawny here, here, here, here–here
Carp here
Celandine, Lesser here
chicks
Cuckoo here–here, here–here, here–here, here–here, here–here, here, here–here
Kingfisher here–here, here–here, here–here, here–here, here–here, here, here, here, here–here, here–here
Lapwing here–here, here, here–here, here, here, here–here
Nightingale here, here–here, here–here, here
Owl, Tawny here–here, here–here, here–here, here, here–here, here, here, here–here, here, here, here, here, here–here
Peregrine here–here, here–here, here–here, here–here, here–here, here, here, here–here, here–here, here–here, here–here, here–here, here–here
Puffin here–here, here–here, here, here–here
Robin here, here–here, here–here, here–here, here–here, here, here, here, here, here–here
Swallow here–here, here–here, here–here, here–here, here–here, here, here–here
Swan, Bewick’s here, here–here
Tit, Blue here, here–here, here–here, here–here, here, here, here–here
Waxwing here–here, here–here, here–here
Chiffchaff here, here, here
Cloudberry here, here
Cod here
Corncrake here, here
Cotoneaster here, here, here, here
Cowberry here, here, here
Crow, Carrion here, here, here
Crowberry here, here
Cuckoo here, here, here
April here–here, here, here
August here–here, here, here–here, here–here
December here–here, here–here, here
February here, here–here, here
January here–here, here–here, here–here
July here–here, here–here, here–here
June here–here, here–here, here–here
March here–here, here, here–here
May here–here, here–here, here–here
November here, here–here
October here–here, here, here–here, here, here–here
September here, here, here
Cuckoo Chris here–here, here, here, here–here, here, here, here–here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here–here, here, here, here–here, here
Culley, Dave here, here, here, here, here, here
Daffodil here
Darwin, Charles here
Davies, Nick here, here
December here
Cuckoo here–here, here–here, here
Kingfisher here, here–here, here
Lapwing here–here, here–here, here–here
Nightingale here, here–here, here–here
Owl, Tawny here, here–here, here–here
Peregrine here–here, here, here–here
Puffin here, here–here
Robin here–here, here–here, here–here
Swallow here–here, here–here, here–here
Swan, Bewick’s here–here, here–here, here–here
Tit, Blue here, here–here, here–here
Waxwing here–here, here, here
Deer, Red here
diet
Cuckoo here–here, here
Kingfisher here, here–here, here, here
Lapwing here–here, here, here–here, here–here
Owl, Tawny here–here, here–here, here, here, here, here–here, here–here
Peregrine here–here, here, here
Puffin here–here, here–here, here–here, here–here
Robin here, here, here–here
Swallow here–here, here, here, here–here
Swan, Bewick’s here, here, here, here, here
Waxwing here–here, here, here, here–here, here, here, here–here, here–here
Dipper here
Dixon, Nick here
Dormouse, Edible here
Dove, Turtle here, here
Drewitt, Ed here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here
Dunlin here
Dunnock here, here
eggs
Cuckoo here–here
Kingfisher here, here, here–here, here–here
Lapwing here–here, here
Nightingale here, here
Owl, Tawny here–here, here–here, here–here, here, here, here
Peregrine here, here–here, here, here
Puffin here, here–here, here, here
Robin here–here
Swallow here–here, here–here
Swan, Bewick’s here–here, here–here
Tit, Blue here–here, here, here–here
Waxwing here–here
Falcon, Lanner here
February here–here
Cuckoo here, here–here, here
Kingfisher here, here, here–here, here–here
Lapwing here, here–here, here–here, here–here
Nightingale here–here, here
Owl, Tawny here, here–here, here–here, here–here
Peregrine here–here, here–here, here–here
Puffin here, here–here, here–here
Robin here, here, here, here
Swallow here–here, here, here–here
Tit, Blue here, here–here, here–here, here–here
Waxwing here–here, here, here
Fieldfare here, here, here
flocking
Lapwing here–here, here, here–here, here, here, here–here, here–here
Puffin here–here
Tit, Blue here–here, here, here–here, here, here–here, here–here
Waxwing here–here, here, here–here, here
Fox here, here, here, here–here, here, here, here
Arctic here, here
Garlic, Wild here
geolocators here–here, here, here–here, here–here, here–here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here
Goby here
Goldcrest here, here, here, here, here
Gorse here
Grayling here
Greenfinch here
Guelder Rose here
Guillemot here, here, here, here
Gull, Black-headed here
Common here
Great Black-backed here, here
Herring here, here, here
Lesser Black-backed here
Haddock here
Harris, Mike here, here, here, here, here, here
Hawk and Owl Trust here
Hawthorn here, here, here, here
Herring here
Hobby here, here
Hosking, Eric here
Hudson, William Henry here
James, Charlie Hamilton here, here
January here–here
Cuckoo here–here, here–here, here–here
Kingfisher here–here, here, here
Lapwing here–here, here–here, here–here
Nightingale here–here, here
Owl, Tawny here–here, here–here, here–here
Peregrine here, here–here, here–here
Puffin here–here, here, here, here–here
Robin here, here, here, here, here–here
Swallow here–here, here–here, here
Swan, Bewick’s here–here, here–here, here
Tit, Blue here, here–here, here
Waxwing here–here, here–here, here–here
Jay here
July here
Cuckoo here–here, here–here, here–here
Kingfisher here, here–here, here–here
Lapwing here, here, here, here
Nightingale here–here, here, here–here, here
Owl, Tawny here–here, here, here
Peregrine here–here, here–here
Puffin here–here, here–here, here–here
Robin here–here, here, here–here
Swallow here–here, here–here, here
Swan, Bewick’s here, here–here, here–here
Tit, Blue here, here–here, here–here
Waxwing here–here, here–here, here–here
June here–here
Cuckoo here–here, here–here, here–here
Kingfisher here–here, here, here–here
Lapwing here–here, here, here
Nightingale here–here, here, here–here
Owl, Tawny here, here–here, here
Peregrine here, here, here–here
Puffin here, here–here, here–here
Robin here–here, here–here, here
Swallow here–here, here–here, here–here
Swan, Bewick’s here–here, here–here, here
Tit, Blue here–here, here–here, here
Waxwing here–here, here–here, here–here
Kingfisher here–here, here
April here–here, here–here, here–here
August here–here, here, here
December here, here–here, here
February here, here, here–here, here–here
January here–here, here, here
July here, here–here, here–here
June here–here, here, here–here
March here–here, here, here
May here–here, here–here, here–here
November here, here–here, here–here
October here, here–here, here
September here–here, here, here–here
Knot here, here
Lack, David here, here, here, here, here
Lanternfish, Glacier here
Lapwing here, here, here
April here–here, here, here, here–here
August here, here–here
December here–here, here–here, here–here
February here, here–here, here–here, here–here
January here–here, here–here, here–here
July here, here, here, here
June here–here, here, here
March here–here, here, here–here
May here–here, here, here, here
November here–here, here, here
September here–here, here, here
Lees, James here
Lichen, Witch-hair here
lifespans
Kingfisher here
Peregrine here, here–here
Puffin here
Robin here–here
Swan, Bewick’s here, here
Waxwing here–here
Loach here
Mallard here
March here–here
Cuckoo here–here, here, here–here
Kingfisher here–here, here, here
Lapwing here–here, here, here–here
Nightingale here, here–here, here
Owl, Tawny here–here, here–here, here, here
Peregrine here, here–here, here–here
Puffin here–here, here, here–here
Robin here–here, here–here, here
Swallow here–here, here–here, here–here
Swan, Bewick’s here–here, here, here–here
Tit, Blue here–here, here–here, here
Waxwing here, here–here, here–here
Martin, Sand here, here, here
mating
Kingfisher here
Lapwing here, here–here
Peregrine here
Puffin here–here
Swallow here–here, here–here
Swan, Bewick’s here–here
Waxwing here–here
May here–here
Cuckoo here–here, here–here, here–here
Kingfisher here–here, here–here, here–here
Lapwing here–here, here, here, here
Nightingale here–here, here, here–here
Owl, Tawny here, here–here, here
Peregrine here–here, here–here, here–here
Puffin here, here–here, here
Robin here–here, here–here, here–here
Swallow here–here, here–here, here–here
Swan, Bewick’s here–here, here, here–here
Tit, Blue here–here, here–here, here–here, here
Waxwing here–here, here–here, here–here
Merlin here
migration here–here
Cuckoo here–here, here, here–here, here, here–here, here–here, here, here, here–here, here–here, here, here–here, here–here
Lapwing here–here, here, here, here–here, here, here, here, here–here
Nightingale here–here, here, here, here–here, here, here, here, here–here, here–here, here–here, here–here, here, here
Peregrine here–here, here–here
Puffin here–here, here–here, here–here, here–here, here, here–here, here–here
Swallow here–here, here, here–here, here–here, here–here, here–here, here, here–here, here–here, here–here, here, here–here
Swan, Bewick’s here–here, here–here, here, here–here, here–here, here, here–here, here, here–here, here, here–here, here
Tit, Blue here–here, here–here, here–here
Waxwing here, here–here, here–here, here–here, here–here, here–here
Mink, American here–here
Minnow here, here
Mistletoe here
Moorhen here
Moreau, Reginald here
Moth, Winter here
moulting
Cuckoo here–here, here–here
Kingfisher here, here–here, here–here, here, here, here–here
Lapwing here, here, here, here, here–here
Nightingale here, here–here, here, here–here
Owl, Tawny here, here–here, here
Peregrine here–here, here
Puffin here, here, here, here, here
Robin here, here–here, here, here–here
Swallow here–here, here, here, here
Swan, Bewick’s here–here, here–here, here, here–here
Tit, Blue here–here, here, here, here, here–here, here–here
Waxwing here
Mouse, Wood here, here, here, here, here
nest boxes here–here, here, here–here, here, here, here
nesting
Cuckoo here–here, here–here