Hamza’s Book on the Joy of Birdwatching

be a birder

Be a Birder is a treasure! The moment you open this book, you’ll fall in love with the 50 birds featured, each with gorgeous black-and-white illustrations and information on their habitat, behaviour and movements. And Hamza is a wonderful writer who will instil a love of birds, in anyone who reads this book.

Who Wrote This Book?

Hamza Yassin was born in Sudan and on arrival to England as a child, only spoke four words of English (he began to learn the language by watching David Attenborough’s The Life of Birds).

This fuelled in him a passion that led to a degree in zoology with conservation, and career as a wildlife cameraman. He recently presented Hamza’s Hidden Wild Isles (wonderful viewing on BBC iPlayer).

Book Excerpt

I absolutely love birds. They make me tick. It’s no exaggeration to say that I wake up and go to sleep, thinking about birds. All of my conversations get redirected back to birds somehow.

When someone asks me what it is I love about birds, my first answer is that they can fly. I still find myself staring at their wings and thinking ‘How can you do that?’

Birds in Cities, Parks and Gardens

  • Blackbird
  • Goldcrest (and Firecrest)
  • Magpie
  • Peregrine Falcon
  • Redwing
  • Ring-Necked Parakeet
  • Rock Dove (and Feral Pigeon)
  • Starling
  • Swift

Birds in the Woods

  • Bullfinch
  • Great Spotted Woodpecker
  • Green Woodpecker
  • Nightingale
  • Nuthatch
  • Sparrowhawk
  • Tawny Owl
  • Wryneck

Birds in Moors and Mountains

  • Black Grouse
  • Capercaillie
  • Dartford Warbler
  • Dotterel
  • Golden Eagle
  • Hen Harrier
  • Merlin
  • Wheatear

Birds on Farmland

  • Barn Owl
  • Lapwing
  • Long-Tailed Tit
  • Red Kite
  • Skylark
  • Waxwing
  • Yellowhammer

Birds on Rivers, Marshes & Estuaries

  • Curlew
  • Dipper
  • Great Crested Grebe
  • Grey Heron
  • Grey Wagtail
  • Kingfisher
  • Osprey
  • Snipe
  • Teal

Birds on the Coasts

  • Arctic Tern
  • Black-Browed Albatross
  • Chough
  • Eider
  • Herring Gull
  • Northern Gannet
  • Puffin
  • Stonechat
  • White-Tailed Eagle

Where to Buy Good Birdwatching Binoculars

It’s important not to disturb birds (don’t play birdsong, it can confuse and attract predators), when watching them. RSPB Puffin Binoculars are around £30 (they are designed for children, but they are small and lightweight, so also good for adults who don’t want to lug around heavy binoculars).

They are easy to hold still, and offer a wide field of view and sharp image quality. They include a case and wrist strap, sold with a 1-year warranty.

Tips to Help Garden Birds

  • Keep cats indoors at dusk and dawn, when birds are feeding.
  • Don’t feed birds stale, mouldy or crusty bread (nor buttered bread, fat can smear on feathers, affecting weatherproofing and insulation).
  • Never use coloured or tin bird houses (they overheat and attract predators).
  • Read more on create safe havens for garden birds, and how to stop birds flying into windows. 

 

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