New Book for Christmas

The Long Wild Shore - out now and available from The One Stop Nature Shop     £25.00

The Long, Wild Shore explores the seasons on the North Norfolk coast. It uses the famous landmark of Blakeney Point as its focus - an area steeped in history and renowned for its colonies of seals and nesting birds.

Individual chapters show the lives of Common and Grey Seals and well-known breeding birds such as Little and Sandwich Terns, Oystercatchers and Ringed Plovers.

The area is also famed as a location to experience bird migration and additional illustrated chapters focus on this exciting spectacle.

Over one hundred paintings and numerous watercolour sketches have been reproduced in the book. The paintings and sketches were made almost exclusively in the field at the time of watching and the vast majority were completed on Blakeney Point during the years that the author worked there as a warden.

Gardens become Woodlands

New results from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) reveal.

Woodland birds are pouring into gardens amidst reports of patchy seed and nut availability in the countryside. Eye-catching Siskin, Brambling, Nuthatch, Jay and Great Spotted Woodpecker are leading the way.

This winter is shaping up to be one of the most exciting ever for garden bird enthusiasts. Latest findings from BTO Garden BirdWatch, a year-round survey of garden wildlife, show that over 80% of our frequently spotted garden bird species have been more abundant over recent weeks compared with 2009–2011.

Most striking has been the increase of birds that we normally associate with woodland. Siskin and Brambling, both colourful and sociable members of the finch family, have been four times more numerous in gardens this autumn compared with recent years. Patchy seed availability in the countryside appears to be forcing these birds out of woodland, while bird foods such as sunflower hearts and nyjer seed are drawing them into gardens.

 

The One Stop Nature Shop has a wide range of feeders and food to help the birds this winter and help you enjoy your garden birds - never seen a Siskin ? then now's the time to get a Nyjer feeder and see if they are visiting your garden.