Collins British Wildlife

Product Information

There is plenty to stimulate the reader, though some of the writing comes across as ‘ad hoc’ and at times ill-informed (YouTube is one person’s experience of the bird). Some additional information could have better enlightened readers on the causes of each bird’s decline and where solutions might lie.

The book offers an antidote to modern life’s digital distractions and endless rolling news cycle, which so often leave us running on empty. There are swifts and silver birch, barn owls (pictured) and seals, oaks and thrift and mountain hares. Each poem casts It’s fascinating to discover the extent to which Yorkshire has been at the heart of England’s history and that through trade, whaling and emigration, the county has had a significant impact on the wider world. This is a welcome addition to the bookshelf for the Yorkshire enthusiast, as well as those seeking their first introduction to this magnificent county. If you’re new to running and keen to explore more beautiful places in the British countryside once restrictions are lifted, then this is the book for you. From the tip of Cornwall to the Scottish Highlands, this attractive guidebook by Jen and Sim Benson features 100 easy-to-follow off-road running routes on National Trust-managed bridleways and footpaths along the coast, through wooded valleys and beyond.

Quests and pilgrimages, where writers ramble, cycle, swim or kayak around our islands in search of various kinds of enlightenment, have become a familiar bookshop staple. Over-familiar, you might say. But Morgan-Grenville – whose books include 2021’s brilliant Shearwater – is a genial and witty companion who keeps us interested to the last few steps.

The passion Stephen Neale has for the English coast comes across loud and clear in this beautifully presented guidebook. The author worked with Natural England to assess the Essex section of the England Coast Path – what will be the longest managed and waymarked coastal path in the world once completed – but he clearly has an in-depth knowledge of the coast in its entirety. The book’s cover promises “1,000 mini adventures” and it’s safe to say it delivers.Following his grandfather’s death, Will begins his angling odyssey afresh. He casts for different species in various places, with a clear, more open-minded perspective. As he rekindles his love for angling, so he learns more about himself. Sections on the sociological aspects of walking as well as entertaining anecdotes peppered throughout the more theory-rich chapters also provide interest for those readers with a less scientific mind. Over recent years, we have spent more and more time indoors, and for many of us, this has only increased with the COVID-19 pandemic. However, as a species, we're programmed to love the great outdoors. Even just looking at a green space reduces stress and improves psychological wellbeing. Reading nature books is a pleasure for anyone with an interest in natural history, plantlife and British wildlife. Books can introduce you to new species, places to visit, compelling rural life stories, brilliant walking routes and give you knowledge to help you appreciate and understand the natural world around you. Curling up with a good book to enjoy the simple pleasure of reading is not just a way to acquire new knowledge, but reading can also help you relax and truly be in the moment. Books also make perfect presents for outdoor lovers, offering inspiration, beautiful images and all-year-round armchair escapes. Travelling with him is pure delight. Dunn is a fine nature writer, whose descriptions of locations are eloquent and often poignant, as so many orchid habitats are at risk. He is an erudite authority on orchid identification, while his digressions into their uses as aphrodisiacs, their promiscuous tendency to form hybrids that bamboozle botanists, and tales of their curious place in human affairs are constantly entertaining. Who knew that a helleborine chemical compound that stupefies pollinating wasps was administered to Hitler by his physician?

A close shave with poachers in the depths of West Africa is only mentioned because a night beside a canal behind Watford Gap Services has prompted the reminisce. Will has a great depth of knowledge but is also self-aware and happy to walk more carefully the paths down which he once ran. After reaching the semi-finals of MasterChef and gaining accolades for his pub’s sustainable sourcing, chef Ollie Hunter’s contribution to the sustainable diet debate is full of promise.Featuring over 250 beautiful full-colour photographs, Planet Earth III reveals the wonders and trials of life on an increasingly fragile planet, bringing you closer than ever before to our world’s most intriguing species, unseen landscapes and natural phenomena. Few places on Earth remain untouched by humans, creating challenges for the wildlife we share it with. We have entered a new age, and we must look at the splendour of the natural world through a different lens. There are no straightforward conclusions, no easy solutions, and this is not always an easy read. But there is hope, and much of it comes from humans. For this is a call to arms, a celebration of “what can be achieved when we hold administrations to account”. Enthusiastic schemes to diversify have met with stubborn opposition from the red trouser brigade, defeat at the hands of Council Planning department, and predictable derision from Kaleb - although, to be fair, even Lisa had doubts about Jeremy's brilliant plan to build a business empire founded on rewilding and nettle soup. And only Cheerful Charlie is still smiling about the stifling amount of red tape that's incoming... But he charges by the hour.

There’s plenty of crunching bones and death, both natural – among predator and prey – and inflicted by human traps, spades and guns. But this bleak realism is balanced by gorgeous nature writing, teeming with earthy scents and sounds, and beautiful descriptions of Dartmoor’s wilderness through the seasons. Swallows are clearly amazing and I do thrill at their arrival and mourn their departure each year. To ensure this amazing bird continues to return as the harbinger of summer, Moss gives us a timely reminder that we need to share our land – we need to turn away from destruction and embrace a more ecocentric worldview.Sea Bean has much to say about Shetland culture and the tough, tragic history of its people, especially the women. It is mournful, introspective yet full of hope – a brilliantly salty blast of fresh air.