Hi all

I just wanted to say thank you again to those who have supported me and this project. The Twitch may not have set the world alight, but it is still smouldering and has opened doors that may well have once stayed closed. 

Much as I loved (and still love) writing fiction, it is my non-fiction work that has been earning pennies of late. Regular writing for the likes of CountryFile magazine…

This autumn’s Bohemian Waxwing irruption is shaping up to be one of the most dramatic in living memory. To anyone left cold by that sentence, please allow me to elaborate.

Each winter, small numbers of starling sized Waxwings (Bombycilla garrulous) make their way from their breeding grounds in northern Russia and Finland and find themselves on our Eastern coastline. Occasionally, when the Siberian…

February

February 4th 2007 -147 species

The pager has been relatively quiet over the last week or so – plenty of good stuff knocking about, but mostly long-stayers which I can tie in with my weekend routing.

High-pressure has dominated the weather, meaning little wind and little likelihood of anything unexpected showing up and frazzling the pager network.

With this in mind, my weekend route…

To anyone who missed the email, or those who have pledged since, here is chapter one in all of its unedited glory....

Introduction

How to be a Champion Twitcher – Unabridged by Edward J Banger

Many of you will be aware of my previous published work, How to be a Champion Twitcher (Abridged) – the now valuable, leather-bound first edition of which was published in small volume (100 copies…

Yes! Finally, two swallows have returned to West Compton....

I was starting to get concerned, as I so often do at this time of year - and this is the first year in many that I have had to wait until April (let alone the second week of April) to hear that familiar chatter and allow myself to breathe safe in the knowledge that Spring really has arrived.

I think my attachment to swallows goes back…

As we near 25%, we ought to do something to mark the milestone - so, all being well, I will send the first draft of chapter one to all those lovely people who have pledged.

In the meantime, do have a look at an interview I did many moons ago for the Idler magazine, with the legend that is Chris Yates. (you have to scroll down a little bit...)

Chris' new book, 'Nightwalk', is due out at the end of…