A beautifully illustrated celebration of one of Britain’s most beloved birds: the charming, comical yet mysterious puffin – the perfect gift for nature lovers.The puffin’s bright orange bill and striking black-and-white plumage have made it one of our most iconic seabirds. It has charmed nature lovers and inspired countless fables and stories, as well as becoming an emblem for children's literature.Follow the lifecycle of the puffin through...

This collection of essays "gives bird enthusiasts the next best thing to birdwatching, an eloquent and insightful consideration of birds and birding" ( Publishers Weekly).Stephen Moss's collection of Guardian "Birdwatch" columns forms a fascinating picture of one man's birding life: from early coot-watching as a young boy, through teenage cycle trips to Dungeness, to adult travels around the world as a TV producer working everywhere from the Gambia...

A bestselling British birder, naturalist, writer and broadcaster leads us on a springtime journey of discovery through daily walks in the area surrounding his home, highlighting the joys of connecting with wildlife and our environment.As spring arrives, Stephen Moss’s Somerset garden is awash with birdsong: chiffchaffs, wrens, robins and more. Overhead, buzzards soar, ravens tumble and the season gathers pace. But this equinox is unlike any other. As the nation goe...

From a BBC producer and award-winning birder, a guide to the unusual birds that soar over cities around the world.From frigatebirds wheeling over Rio de Janeiro to bowerbirds displaying in the suburbs of Canberra, penguins in Cape Town to pelicans in San Francisco, and huge flocks of starlings roosting around the Colosseum in Rome, the world's cities are home to a remarkable array of feathered citizens.Through Stephen Moss's expert knowledge and insight, ...

This journey through the world of birdwatchers is "a wonderful book. . . . fascinating, often hilarious anecdotes and information" ( Daily Mail, Critic's Choice).Scholarly, authoritative, and above all supremely readable, Stephen Moss's book is the first to trace the fascinating history of how and why people have watched birds for pleasure, from the beginnings with Gilbert White in the eighteenth century through World War II POWs watching birds from inside ...

The annual Birdbrain of Britain quiz, held originally at The British Birdwatching Fair (Birdfair) in Rutland and now at its new incarnation Global Birdfair at Rutland Water, is always a full house event. Four birding luminaries answer questions, Mastermind style, on a chosen special subject and on general birding knowledge, vying to win the coveted Charles Gallimore Trophy. The quiz is chaired by Stephen Moss, Tim Appleton MBE (co-founder of the Birdfairs) acts as timekeeper, Mark Maddox s...

The ideal portable companion, the world-renowned Collins Gem series returns with a fresh new look and updated material.This is the perfect pocket guide for keen birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts to identify the diverse range of birds that inhabit their gardens.Authoritative text and beautiful photographs show the distinguishing features of each bird, including information on each species' feeding, behavioural habits, breeding, voice and population. An extensive introducti...

Swallow and starling, puffin and peregrine, blue tit and blackcap. We use these names so often that few of us ever pause to wonder about their origins. What do they mean? Where did they come from? And who created them?The words we use to name birds are some of the most lyrical and evocative in the English language. They also tell incredible stories: of epic expeditions, fierce battles between rival ornithologists, momentous...

Chess was invented more than 1,500 years ago, and is played in every country in the world. Stephen Moss sets out to master its mysteries, and unlock the secret of its enduring appeal. What, he asks, is the essence of chess? And what will it reveal about his own character along the way?In a witty, accessible style that will delight newcomers and irritate purists, Moss imagines the world as a board and marches across it, offering a mordant report on the world of chess in 64 chapters ...

‘Stephen Moss delights once more - lyrical and informative by turns, he conjures - with breathless eloquence - another feathered beauty of our skies.’ Benedict Allen'An engrossing compilation of ornithological tidbits, cultural anecdotes, literary quotes and well chosen historical artwork’ BBC Wildlife, *Books of the Year*Uncover the life of starlings through this beautiful guide to these majestic ...

'A superb naturalist and writer.'CHRIS PACKHAM'From Stone Age remains to modern day skyscrapers, Stephen Moss takes us on an exhilarating journey through place and time, providing a fascinating insight into nature's relationship with environments created by man.'DR MYA-ROSE CRAIG (BIRDGIRL)Welcome to The Accidental Countryside.This is the fascinating and remarkably empowering story of our infl...

The motivational story of David Lindo's experiences with birding in the cityAnyone can become an Urban Birder. You can do it anywhere and any time, whether you've got the day to spare, on your way to work, during your lunch break or just looking out of a window. Look up and you will see.The book is an inspirational look at the birdlife in our cities, or more accurately, the author David's personal journey of discovery involving encounters with racism, air r...