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Birdwatching magazines (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter sickpup
- Start date
devon.birder
Well-known member
sickpup said:
There is also Birdwatch which most branches of W H Smith stock. I no longer buy either but if I go in to Smiths it is Birdwatch rather than Birdwatching that I flip through. Birding World is available on subscription, see www.birdingworld.co.uk and this is the magazine that most Birders take, it is described by their Editors as "Europe's premier monthly magazine for keen birdwatchers".
Roger
I stopped taking periodicals a while ago (was finding I didn't have time to read them properly) so the following may be a bit out of date. I'm sure someone will tell me if so! However, I would sum up the four main birding periodicals like this:
Birdwatching: Perhaps the best choice if you're really interested, but don't want anything too heavy.
Birdwatch: Again, not too heavy, but more in-depth than the above.
Birding World: http://www.birdingworld.co.uk/. Focus is on identification of difficult species and on UK rarities. The ID articles are often cutting-edge and can sometimes be exhausting reading (especially when discussing the identification of sub-species).
British Birds: http://www.britishbirds.co.uk/. You can download a free issue from their website. On a par with Birding World as regards seriousness, but more varied, covering not only identification, but also more "scientific" topics like ecology, biology, distribution etc. It's also the official mouthpiece of the British Birds Rarities Committee and the Rare Breeding Birds Panel and publishes their annual reports.
Birdwatching: Perhaps the best choice if you're really interested, but don't want anything too heavy.
Birdwatch: Again, not too heavy, but more in-depth than the above.
Birding World: http://www.birdingworld.co.uk/. Focus is on identification of difficult species and on UK rarities. The ID articles are often cutting-edge and can sometimes be exhausting reading (especially when discussing the identification of sub-species).
British Birds: http://www.britishbirds.co.uk/. You can download a free issue from their website. On a par with Birding World as regards seriousness, but more varied, covering not only identification, but also more "scientific" topics like ecology, biology, distribution etc. It's also the official mouthpiece of the British Birds Rarities Committee and the Rare Breeding Birds Panel and publishes their annual reports.
Scrufftyguy
Missing them east coast rares...
There's also a Finnish journal alula which comes out quarterly, and you can get an English version. I think it's similar to Birding World though I haven't subscribed to it yet.
I would be interested to hear from anyone who's read it!
http://www.alula.fi
I subscribe to birding world as I find the articles on identification extremely useful and it contains lots of excellent photos of rare migrant species which is always handy to help keep clued-up!
Ade
I would be interested to hear from anyone who's read it!
http://www.alula.fi
I subscribe to birding world as I find the articles on identification extremely useful and it contains lots of excellent photos of rare migrant species which is always handy to help keep clued-up!
Ade
Steven Astley
Well-known member
Obviously theres my personal favourite RSPBs Birds both inspirational, informative, great photos aswell. Personally I am not interested in ID articles (got collins and BF for that), optics reviews, birds I am likely never to see and how many gannets ocupy a given grid refernce on a given day (unless i was actually involved with the study) and thats why I like Birds magazine. The best choice to try first birdwatching its light reading which everyone can enjoy get something out of to some extent and as someone has said its available at WHsmiths
Edward woodwood
Member
Is Birding World really the most popular with birders? It's mainly last month's rarities and a few id articles?
I'd have thought BB was still by a mile. A fantastic journal. Loads of varied content on all aspects of birds and their ecology, ID and conservation.
Tim
PS Alula is very good and not really like Birding World imo
I'd have thought BB was still by a mile. A fantastic journal. Loads of varied content on all aspects of birds and their ecology, ID and conservation.
Tim
PS Alula is very good and not really like Birding World imo
devon.birder
Well-known member
Tim Allwood said:
I have 20 years of BB on my bookshelf, all bound. However I stopped my subscription several years ago now as in my opinion it mainly became too scientific and aimed at Ornithologists rather than mere Birders. I still peruse the odd copy from time to time when I am staying at the Portland Bird Observatory but I have to say that whilst it has undergone a change over the past few years I have no desire to read it on a regular basis. Didn't there used to be a saying "You can't be a real birdwatcher if you didn't read BB". Pretentious crap (the saying not the magazine). Roger
Last edited:
Rob Williams
Well-known member
Both Birdwatch and Birdwatching should be easily available in places like Smith and Borders, without having to order.
Rob
Rob
Docmartin
Thought Police
Tim Allwood said:
No. according to DIMW in Beguiled by Birds it is the least popular of the big 4 british mags described above. Birdwatching is ahead by a mile in sales. You can argue that it is not predominantly a 'birders' magazine, but 'Birdwatch' is, and that beats both BB and BW on sales.
Steve Lister
Senior Birder, ex County Recorder, Garden Moths.
Steven Astley
Well-known member
"You can't be a real birder if you don't read BB"
If any (ex)twitcher said that to me I would reply
"subscribing to BB doesn't make you a scientist"
If any (ex)twitcher said that to me I would reply
"subscribing to BB doesn't make you a scientist"
StevieEvans
Well-known member
sickpup said:
Hi
Next week the 250 members of Durham Bird Club (covering Tyne to Tees areas) will be recieving a new quarterly, 48page, A5 size Magazine with colour photos.
Content includes:-
Articles on BNGrebe, Night Heron, Large Shearwaters, Leo survey results etc.
Club news.
Letters & notes.
Consevation updates, Taking part & volunteering
Projects & Surveys updates, with details of the dozen target species for next years studies, plus details of BTo, National & other DBC surveys.
Look Ahead & species reviews.
16,000 word reports from last 3 months wildbird sightings.
This is free (bargain) to all DBC members.
SteveE.
Adey Baker
Member
devon.birder said:
I reckon that was a (slightly) tongue-in-cheek quote from Mr. Oddie in a 'BB' advert.
Scrufftyguy
Missing them east coast rares...
Personally I find the non-subscription magazines a bit wishy-washy with no real content. RSPB birds magazine seems to have gone down hill over the last few years too, I generally only skim through it these days then give it to a friend to read! I'm definitely in favour of Birding World and British Birds, though BB is often a bit too heavy going (and pricey). Might have to give Alula a try though.
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