Bird Watching (UK)

Books

The latest releases, from a garden favourite to unloved gulls

- WORDS MATT MERRITT

The latest birding books reviewed

THE WREN: A BIOGRAPHY STEPHEN MOSS, SQUARE PEG £12.99

Wrens are our most common breeding bird, and yet many people, even birders, rarely see them, or if they do, know remarkably little about their habits. It’s great, then, to see Stephen Moss do the same for the Wren as he did for the more familiar Robin. This fascinatin­g ‘biography’ is packed with facts that take in everything from the bird’s habits (its nesting behaviour is particular­ly strange), to the central role that it has taken in the folklore of these islands down the ages. As you’d expect from this author, the text is authoritat­ive and often evocative, while remaining accessible and easy to dip into, and the many colour illustrati­ons add the finishing touches to a very fine book. A perfect Christmas present for any birder. penguin.co.uk/vintage

HOW TO SEE NATURE, PAUL EVANS, BATSFORD £16.99

You may have read Paul Evans’ contributi­ons to The Guardian’s Country Diary – if you have, you won’t be surprised by the content here, a lyrical, thoughtful evocation of the nature of modern Britain. Evans doesn’t shy away from the many issues and problems facing that nature, but he does always use his razor-sharp observatio­nal skills to shine a light on the many surprises that wildlife-watching can throw up. Taken as a whole, then, perhaps the overall theme of the book is the sheer diversity of the natural world, even in an industrial­ised landscape like our own. By celebratin­g it so beautifull­y, Evans is playing as important a role in its conservati­on as anybody. The personal bestiary at the end of the book is a lovely touch, with Evans’ personal experience of a host of species bringing each to life. pavilionbo­oks.com

LANDFILL TIM DEE, LITTLE TOLLER £16

If you’re really not keen on gulls, this book has a lot of work to do, because they’re at its centre, and specifical­ly the way in which they have adapted to living side by side with us, and making use of our waste. That it succeeds in hooking in even ‘larophobes’ is down to Tim Dee’s sharp, honest and often funny prose – he brings in such a wealth of cultural and literary associatio­ns that it’s impossible to read without dashing off to Google items of interest, and the personal glimpses into encounters with gulls slowly accumulate to nurture a growing admiration for the birds. Dee also turns an analytical eye on ourselves and the landscapes we create – the result is fascinatin­g. littletoll­er.co.uk

RSPB SPOTLIGHT: WOODPECKER­S GERARD GORMAN, BLOOMSBURY £9.99

Gerard Gorman’s exhaustive Woodpecker­s of the World is just about the last word on this remarkable family of birds, but this addition to the RSPB’S Spotlight series makes a pretty good first word for anyone new to the subject. The emphasis is very much on our three resident breeding species, plus the migrant Wryneck, but Gorman also brings in woodpecker­s from around the world. He’s especially strong on the anatomy and behaviour of the birds (and the anatomy of woodpecker­s is worth a book on its own), but there’s equally good material on the role woodpecker­s have played in human cultures, and the way we interact with them. Enjoyable and utterly packed with facts. bloomsbury.com

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