Wishlist

More stuff to spend your hard-earned cash on this month

Birdingrelated goodies to consider

ALPKIT BREVENT WAXED COTTON RUCKSACK, £80

A retro backpack with a contemporary twist, or is it the other way round? The 22L Brevent is made from dry waxed cotton, which is lightweight, supple, tough and water-resistant. There’s a drawstring collar – so you can shove a bit more in, a zip-up lid pocket, two side pockets – good for water bottles – and a laptop sleeve, plus a sternum strap, hip belt and padded back. Uk-made. 25-year warranty. In kelp and denim (colours, not fabrics…). alpkit.com

PATAGONIA WOMEN’S WOOLYESTER FLEECE PULLOVER, £140

Made from 46% recycled wool, 46% polyester, a bit of nylon and some other fibres, this fabric moves Patagonia “one step closer to a zero-waste apparel industry”. Please keep walking Patagonia… zero-waste sounds good. There’s a quarter zip for temperature control and a collar that can fold over, or for more cosy, can stand up. eu.patagonia.com

TILLEY WOODLAND CADET CAP, £80

It’s for the cold bits of the year – to keep the frost out of your ears, and whatever sun there is out of your eyes. This head-warmer is water-repellent, with a breathable, insulated membrane, and ear flaps that you can wear up or down. As you might expect from Tilley, there’s a secret pocket in the crown, and a lifetime guarantee. This cap “moulds to the head with wear”, so if your head’s a funny shape: no problem. In black or caramel. S-2XL. 91g. tilley.com

OSPREY ULTRALIGHT DOUBLE-SIDED PACKING CUBE, £16 (MEDIUM)

One of these will help keep your kit in order on your birding travels. This cube has two compartments, one with a mesh outer – when you’ve got damp stuff to carry, put it in here. It’s made from siliconised, ripstop nylon – which makes it easier to slide it in and out of your luggage. This one has a 5L capacity. The large has double the volume. ospreyeurope.com

NATIVE WILDFLOWER BEEBOMB, £8

For an explosion of bee-licious flowers try a Beebomb. Just toss it on to some suitable ground and wait. It’s a mix of clay, top soil, and thousands of wildflower seeds – enough for about 2m2. There are 18 different species of wildflower in the bomb, all native, and all good for pollinators. Handmade in Dorset, and supplied in a hessian bag. How’s that for a present – a lump of clay in a sack… but just think what it could do. countryinnovation.com

KIDS SLAP BAND WATCH – FROG, OWL OR PENGUIN, £9.99

An inexpensive watch aimed at children from three years old, but if you like it, well, why not? There’s no buckle to mess around with and there are three ‘species’ in the range – Owl, Frog and Penguin. Complete with numbers, and hour, minute and second hands. And now time for inevitable joke: why is the third hand called the second hand? shopping.rspb.org.uk

SHIMODA EXPLORE 30, £230

This “adventure camera bag company” owes its existence to Kickstarter. The Explore 30 is compact and swallows camera gear and other stuff. Camera protection comes in modular units that you buy separately, or as part of a kit. You access your camera from the side (under the arm), the rear or the top. A height-adjustable harness allows a custom fit, the belt is removable, and most airlines will let you carry it on. 5-year warranty. Weighs 1.3kg. In sea pine or blue nights. shimodadesigns.com/gb/home

STEINER SKYHAWK 4.0 BINOCULAR, FROM £369

There are four Skyhawks in this new range from Steiner – 8x and 10x32s, and 8x and 10x42s. The blurb says “razorsharp images”, “bright viewing”, “accurate colour” and “outstanding ruggedness”. They close-focus to two metres, have fields of view (@1,000m) from 108m (10x42) to 133m (8x32) and weigh from 568g (8x32) to 756g (10x42). Fast-close-focus is one of their selling points. intro2020.co.uk

BENRO WILD 1 CARBON FIBRE BIRDING KIT, £300

There are four kits in this range – all with the same head on one of two sizes of legs, in carbon-fibre or aluminium. The smooth-moving BWH4 pan and tilt head can cope with 4kgs of scope or camera, has an Arca-style quick-release plate with a 1/4’’ thread and locating pin, and slides to adjust centre of gravity. The legs are four-sectioned, and twist-lock. Comes with a padded bag, spiked feet and tool kit. Max height: 154cm (134cm with column down). Min height: 40cm. Weighs 1.78kg. benroeu.com/products/benro-twd18cbwh4