You can now read the January 2026 issue of Birdwatch as either a digital download or paper magazine. The paper magazine is available in the shops from Wednesday [24 December] – or you can order online ahead of then.
This month’s magazine heads to the Dee Estuary – an important habitat for many birds, including waders and wildfowl on a continental level, with the famous Hilbre Island Bird Observatory at its heart. Phil Woollen and Steve Williams introduce the ‘obs’ and discuss its history and key species.
Snow Goose is most often seen as an escape from captivity in Britain, but genuine wild vagrants from North America arrive annually and small, established feral populations also exist. Sam Viles takes a look at the complex status of this goose in Europe.
Careful checking of Eurasian Wigeon flocks on your local patch this winter could unearth a Nearctic vagrant. In this month’s ID guide, Brian Stretch outlines the key features, in particular for the cryptic and surely under-recorded female American Wigeon.
Also in this issue, Sue Lisk takes a look at the life and work of talented and prolific 19th-century bird illustrator Elizabeth Gould, who rarely receives the recognition she deserves, especially compared with her famous husband.
Wind on the clock 25 years from now and global warming and weather systems have become increasingly unpredictable. Here, an ageing David Callahan shares his birding diary for winter 2050-51.
The BTO’s Teresa Frost and Chris Thaxter explain how waterbird monitoring in the UK connects us to the Arctic environment and a global community.
Avian influenza and climate change are putting stress on Gyr Falcon populations in Scandinavia, Greenland and Iceland, while the release of captive-bred birds is blurring the status of the species in Britain. Ed Stubbs ponders whether this rare visitor from the north is going to become even trickier to catch up with on our shores.
Also in this issue, Mike Alibone gets his hands on a new image-stabilised telescopes from SWAROVSKI OPTIK and we hear the accounts of November’s biggest finds.
Our new-look Expert Advice section offers tips for understanding Brambling moult and how to start drawing birds, while our columnists discuss year-listing, winter birding and the Labour government.
Read the latest issue of Birdwatch magazine every month, as well as receive access to a digital archive of the magazine right back to issue 1, with a subscription to Bird News Ultimate PLUS. Or, if a paper copy is your preferred format, receive the latest issue in the post with a subscription to Bird News Ultimate.