The Complete Guide to Patch Birding: Making the most of your local area
The essential guide to getting the most out of birding in your local area.

For birdwatching thrills and excitement, why not look closer to home? You need not rely on hours of travel to reach remote locations instead choose a local 'patch' that you can visit regularly. Cut out the car or unreliable public transport and become familiar with the resident and visiting birds that can be found in your chosen spot, their habits and behaviour, and the subtle changes that occur there throughout the seasons.

In The Complete Guide to Patch Birding, you'll find out how to make the most of local birding, including how to identify and pick a patch, the best times of day to try to find different birds, the essential kit, how to record sightings, understand the impact of weather, and how to find rare birds, as well as information about migration and breeding species.

Whether it's spotting a charm of goldfinches lighting up a gloomy January day, a robin gathering leaves and moss for its new nest in March, the uplifting sight of migratory swallows arriving to signify the start of summer, or hearing the call of young little owls on mild October nights, there are many joys to be had in simply watching and enjoying the birds on your doorstep. This practical guide contains all the information you need to get started.

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The Complete Guide to Patch Birding: Making the most of your local area
The essential guide to getting the most out of birding in your local area.

For birdwatching thrills and excitement, why not look closer to home? You need not rely on hours of travel to reach remote locations instead choose a local 'patch' that you can visit regularly. Cut out the car or unreliable public transport and become familiar with the resident and visiting birds that can be found in your chosen spot, their habits and behaviour, and the subtle changes that occur there throughout the seasons.

In The Complete Guide to Patch Birding, you'll find out how to make the most of local birding, including how to identify and pick a patch, the best times of day to try to find different birds, the essential kit, how to record sightings, understand the impact of weather, and how to find rare birds, as well as information about migration and breeding species.

Whether it's spotting a charm of goldfinches lighting up a gloomy January day, a robin gathering leaves and moss for its new nest in March, the uplifting sight of migratory swallows arriving to signify the start of summer, or hearing the call of young little owls on mild October nights, there are many joys to be had in simply watching and enjoying the birds on your doorstep. This practical guide contains all the information you need to get started.

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The Complete Guide to Patch Birding: Making the most of your local area

The Complete Guide to Patch Birding: Making the most of your local area

by Ed Stubbs
The Complete Guide to Patch Birding: Making the most of your local area

The Complete Guide to Patch Birding: Making the most of your local area

by Ed Stubbs

Paperback

$28.00 
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    Available for Pre-Order. This item will be released on July 21, 2026

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Overview

The essential guide to getting the most out of birding in your local area.

For birdwatching thrills and excitement, why not look closer to home? You need not rely on hours of travel to reach remote locations instead choose a local 'patch' that you can visit regularly. Cut out the car or unreliable public transport and become familiar with the resident and visiting birds that can be found in your chosen spot, their habits and behaviour, and the subtle changes that occur there throughout the seasons.

In The Complete Guide to Patch Birding, you'll find out how to make the most of local birding, including how to identify and pick a patch, the best times of day to try to find different birds, the essential kit, how to record sightings, understand the impact of weather, and how to find rare birds, as well as information about migration and breeding species.

Whether it's spotting a charm of goldfinches lighting up a gloomy January day, a robin gathering leaves and moss for its new nest in March, the uplifting sight of migratory swallows arriving to signify the start of summer, or hearing the call of young little owls on mild October nights, there are many joys to be had in simply watching and enjoying the birds on your doorstep. This practical guide contains all the information you need to get started.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781399419697
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
Publication date: 07/21/2026
Pages: 192
Product dimensions: 6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Ed Stubbs is a lifelong birder who has worked as Deputy Editor for BirdGuides and Birdwatch magazine since 2018. During this time he has had articles published on a range of topics, from international trips and species profiles to county guides and local birding. His particular interests are migration, sound recording and patch-watching in his home county of Surrey, where he sits on the Surrey Bird Club Rarities Committee.

Table of Contents

Preface

The benefits of patch birding

Picking a patch or local area

Understanding time and weather

How to get the most out of your patch

Month-by-month calendar

Useful tools

Wellbeing

Glossary

Photo credits

Index

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