In the next issue February

■ 2022 in review From firsts for Britain and falling ‘blockers’ to unusual migrants and significant influxes, Sam Viles takes a detailed look back at a thrilling birding year across Britain and Ireland.

■ Ebbing tides Estuaries are crucial habitats for an array of migrant and wintering birds. Teresa Frost of the BTO explains the importance of monitoring these species through the WeBS Low Tide Counts scheme.

■ Chasing the Irish year-list record There is a long history of competitive year listing in Britain, but much less so in neighbouring Ireland. Brian McCloskey set out to see as many species as possible in the Emerald Isle in 2022, and here reports on the highs and lows of his journey.

■ Deep dive February’s ID focus is divers. Andy Stoddart provides expert advice on how to find and identify the five species recorded in Britain while in the field this month, concentrating on winter and juvenile plumages.

■ Undiscovered Azerbaijan Ed Stubbs reports back from a late autumn visit to the shores of the Caspian Sea, where spectacular migration and regional specialities were enjoyed.

■ Birders’ Choice Awards: the winners Find out who and what came out on top in the eighth instalment of our annual awards.

■ Looking back at #LocalBigYear Our hugely popular ‘green’ birding competition reaches its conclusion.

PLUS: topical comment from columnists Lucy McRobert, Bill Oddie and Alan Tilmouth, the team at BirdGuides provides round-ups of December’s rarity highlights from Britain, Ireland and the wider Western Palearctic, news, views and reviews, advice on building your birding skills and knowledge, and our expert panel answers your questions.