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

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It can still seem like winter, but March sees birds beginning to stir, writes David Callahan …

The year was rounded off nicely with one or two exceptional rarities, rudely inconveniencing many birders enjoying the festive season…

Birdwatching locations are ever-changing. Habitats develop and evolve, even on carefully managed reserves. Some sites gain sudden prominence (due to a rare visitor or breeding record); some drop off the radar. Others remain popular with birdwatchers and birds, often because of their geographic location. So, after trawling through a LOT of back issues of BW , here are 100 locations we think have changed the face of UK birdwatching in the past 40 years. If you’ve a site you’d like to add to the list, please email: birdwatching@bauermedia.co.uk and tell us why

One of the rich joys of birding is that there are birds everywhere, including gardens and parks. Just get out and walk around, there’s no need to be quiet or furtive. Become familiar with your feather