Red kites, great spotted woodpeckers and pink-footed geese are only a few of the birds doing brilliantly in the British Isles right now. Mark Cocker celebrates their success stories and looks at what might be learnt from them

New Year’s Day started with high hopes, but was all about dipping, writes Bo Beolens…

Find out which early species to watch for, how to make your patch more butterfly-friendly and where to record your sightings for science

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Karen Youngs is on the lookout for nature’s collectibles during a sunny spring walk

Our first issue, in 1986, hinted at developments that have since taken place among bird populations, writes Matt Merritt