Radius & Flyway · The journal
British birding, examined closely
Independent writing on bird identification, fieldcraft, migration, ecology and conservation, grounded in evidence and direct observation.
Selected for autumn · Fieldcraft
Whooper vs Bewick’s Swan: how to tell them apart
Compare bill patterns, size, structure, calls and family groups to separate Britain’s two visiting wild swans.
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How to use Xeno-canto for bird sound identification
Find recordings, compare calls and use the archive without treating a sound match as proof by itself.
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UK thrush identification
Separate Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Redwing and Fieldfare using structure, plumage, voice and behaviour.
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Pink-footed Goose migration in Britain
How autumn arrivals, regional movements and daily feeding flights shape the spectacle seen in Britain.
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Wonderchicken and the origins of modern birds
What a small Late Cretaceous fossil reveals about the beginnings of familiar modern bird groups.
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Photography as field evidence
A young Spotted Flycatcher shows how photographs can preserve useful features and expose uncertainty.
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BirdNET Live review
A field test of continuous sound identification, confidence scores, battery use and false detections.
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Tree Sparrow vs House Sparrow
Compare head pattern, cheek spot, crown, sex and age to identify Britain’s two familiar sparrows.
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Can you trust Merlin Sound ID?
Use range, habitat, repetition and your own hearing to decide which automated suggestions deserve confidence.
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North Norfolk birding in autumn
A practical long-weekend route through the coast’s main habitats, with time left for weather and migration.
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Why Swifts fly at nesting walls
The close passes and screaming parties around buildings are part of how Swifts inspect and advertise nest sites.
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Why Blackcaps now spend winter in Britain
A distinct migration strategy links central European breeding grounds with British gardens and milder winters.
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Why do birds sing at dawn?
Light, sound transmission, feeding conditions and social competition all help explain the dawn chorus.
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Little Terns at Blakeney Point
How wardening, fencing, visitor management and changing beach conditions affect a vulnerable colony.
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How Lakenheath Fen was created
The conversion of arable land into reedbed shows what planned habitat creation can achieve at landscape scale.
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Marsh Tit or Willow Tit?
Calls carry most weight, while plumage, bill markings, habitat and range provide supporting evidence.
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Do bug hotels really work?
Design details, siting and maintenance determine whether an insect hotel provides habitat or merely decoration.
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