Birdwatch - January 2022

• Swan song Arriving in late autumn, Bewick’s Swan spends the winter in the UK, where it is found mainly in East Anglia, Gloucestershire and Lancashire. However, numbers are falling dramatically. Kane Brides profiles the species, exploring possible drivers behind the decline.
• #BigLocalYear We launch a new challenge that we can all take part in: birding in your local area. This can be anything from looking out your kitchen window to intensively working a close-by patch. There’ll be various contests throughout the year, both in the magazine and on BirdGuides.com –with prizes! –and we encourage everyone to get involved.
• Close focusIn a new approach to our identification section, Ed Stubbs will take an in-depth look at how to find and separate Common and Jack Snipe, and Eurasian Woodcock.
• 30 years of Birdwatch The magazine turns 30 this year, with the first issue in January/February 1992. Birding has changed a lot in those three decades and we take a look back at some of the highs, the lows, the firsts for Britain and memories from issues past.
• The undiscovered countryColombia is well known as one of the most biodiverse nations on Earth and the Inirida region is a hidden gem, rarely visited by birders and boasting a list of 400 bird species. Julian Hough shares his experiences of this spectacular destination.

PLUS: more thought-provoking comment from columnists Lucy McRobert and Dominic Mitchell, the team at BirdGuides provides round-ups of November’s birding highlights from Britain, Ireland and the wider Western Palearctic, news, views and reviews, tips and advice on building your birding skills and knowledge and our expert panel answers your questions