Often painted as a thief and a troublemaker, the magpie’s high intelligence and shimmering beauty are shadowed by misunderstanding and ancient fears

A bunting that looks like a Dunnock? David Lindo recalls a memorable twitch…

Happy New (wildlife-watching) Year to all readers, says James Lowen

14-18 July 2026 £1,199 per person, £200 single supplement

My sky is never empty. At dawn there may be just a lone crow beating a steady path north, or at dusk, the curiously undulating, huge wings of a heron heading to roost in a willow above the ditch. Duck

Nadia Shaikh watches out for signs of life each February, the month that gives us a teaser trailer for spring