Nightingales in November A Year in the Lives of Twelve British Birds

by Dilger, Mike

• ISBN13: 9781472915351
• ISBN10: 1472915356
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2016-07-19
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Natural History

Summary

Have you ever wondered what British birds get up to when they're not pinching peanuts, pilfering pyracantha berries, or nesting under the eaves? The One Show's natural history star, Mike Dilger, offers answers in Nightingales in November.

This beautifully illustrated almanac tells the different stories of twelve well-known birds we deign to call "British." Through a lyrical narrative, Nightingales in November showcases amazing avian facts gleaned over decades by birdwatchers, ringers, and nest and migration recorders. The perfect "dip-into" book, any inquiring naturalist will be able to find out such facts as where British breeding swallows spend Christmas Day, when to look out for juvenile tawny owls, or when to listen for nightingales.

By using a combination of cutting-edge satellite technology and millions of ringing records, Nightingales in November reveals the mysteries of migration, tracking the regular movements of, for example, cuckoos for the eight months they're not in the UK, or divulging why not all robins are the "stay-at-home" territorial types they were once imagined to be.

Illustrated throughout by Christina Holvey, the birds featured include a rich mix of resident birds, summer visitors, winter visitors, and passage migrants. Nightingales in November is a great read for both novice and avid birders alike.

Author Biography

As the resident wildlife reporter on BBC One's The One Show, Mike Dilger is a favorite of wildlife TV. Mike has traveled in South America and Southeast Asia on ecological expeditions, both in front of and behind the camera. He once held the Guinness World Record for “the most snails on the face in one minute” (37) and on his travels, also picked up a reputation for being “Britain's most diseased man.” But no matter how sick he gets, he remains one of the UK's favorite wildlife experts.