Category Archives: Latest GOB Articles

Quid Avium Venari This article first appeared in Birdwatching Magazine July 2018 Why do you go birding? I don’t mean the question you pose yourself when you are freezing your binoculars off at silly o’clock on your day off, while … Continue reading →

Indian Givers This article first appeared in Birdwatching Magazine June 2018 When you first visit India you either fall in love with, or reel at its shocking contrasts. Madmen driving everything from the latest Lotus to a cart propelled by … Continue reading →

Fickle & Fabulous Photos This article first appeared in Birdwatching Magazine May 2018 I’ve lately been updating fatbirder.com with fabulous photos of stunning birds taken by a growing number of fantastic photographers. They range from just terrific to truly remarkable. … Continue reading →

Bankers This article first appeared in Birdwatching Magazine April 2018 They say that the only things certain in life are death and taxes, so why do we birders naively rely on ‘bankers’ when taking part in bird races or building … Continue reading →

Single Use Plastic This article first appeared in Birdwatching Magazine March 2018 I hope you did not receive this magazine through the post in a plastic wrapper. I hope that the corner shop, local butcher and fishmonger don’t give you … Continue reading →

Birding This article first appeared in Birdwatching Magazine February 2018 Like my childhood self I am in awe of the vast blueness of sky over the summer reed-bed. Is this ineffable depth, breadth and beauty God? Unknowable and visceral, my … Continue reading →

Tree Huggers & Tree Muggers This article first appeared in Birdwatching Magazine January 2018 Who could resist running one’s hand along the skin-smooth bark of a beech tree or hugging a hornbeam? Can anyone doubt the primal pleasure of hearing … Continue reading →

Field of View This article first appeared in Birdwatching Magazine December 2017 When I wrote the piece I called ‘Snap Happy Birders’, I knew I had set the neighbour’s cat amongst my pigeons, but I didn’t expect the pigeons to … Continue reading →

Garden Cities This article first appeared in Birdwatching Magazine November 2017 I watched the World Athletics Championships Marathon wending its way through the historic streets of the City of London and was struck by two things over and above my … Continue reading →

Tales of the Unexpected This article first appeared in Birdwatching Magazine Autumn 2017 Outside a summer gale is rocking every bush in my tiny garden… this seems to be an inevitable consequence of sweeping the patio and clearing all the … Continue reading →