MARCH is here.

It’s always a significant month for us birders – spring is arriving and so are longer, milder days, plus the hope of that first migrant encounter.

Two species synonymous with March feature prominently in this edition. On page 22, Ken and Linda Smith take an in-depth look at Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. Ken and Linda are true experts when it comes to ‘lesser spots’ – I’ve had the pleasure of spending time in the field with them monitoring the species – and they provide plenty of tips for seeking out these elusive birds this month.

Another classic bird of early spring is Northern Goshawk. Unlike the previous species, it is increasing in much of its UK range and forms the focus of this month’s ID feature (page 36), which looks at the optimum time, location and weather to bear in mind, as well as separation from Eurasian Sparrowhawk.

The BirdGuides team was delighted when Miles Cluff joined our ranks last year. Miles is a supremely talented young artist and, on page 42, he discusses his techniques, talks about field sketching and shares a selection of his work.

Additionally, the BTO’s Teresa Frost outlines the importance of Low Tide Counts on page 50, Bob Flood’s gripping tale of his Pacific pelagic is a must-read on page 56 and, just in time for Easter, Dr Steven Portugal explains the science behind eggs and eggshells on page 28. Finally, we’re pleased to add Amy Robjohns to our Expert Advice panel. I’ve known Amy for several years now and her monthly patch-birding tips will be greatly valued.

This was certainly a fun edition to work on – we hope you enjoy reading it!