Hoopoe – A blog by nhbs – The NHBS Conservation Hub

Book review: King Tyrant

***** Sets the standard for what good popular science can be

When Princeton University Press announced King Tyrant, I was beyond excited. Whether it is pterosaurs, palaeoart, or the Crystal Palace dinosaurs; whatever palaeontologist and palaeoartist Mark Witton writes on has been brilliant so far, and King Tyrant very much continues that tradition. Do not let the pretty pictures fool you; this is not a children’s book but a grounded, fact-based overview of the scientific consensus on all things Tyrannosaurus rex, combined with numerous informative diagrams and Witton’s gorgeous palaeoart. The execution of this book sets the standard for what good popular science can be and is a model that other authors and publishers can aspire to.

Even if you know nothing about dinosaurs, T. rex is the one name you will recognise, such is the fame of this extinct animal. Surely, books about it are a dime a dozen? In a recent interview on the Love in the Time of Chasmosaurs podcast, Witton pointed out that, surprisingly, this is not the case. Hone’s book covered the family at large, but, aside from two technical books in recent decades, the last popular treatment was Horner & Lessem’s book in 1993. That might just as well be prehistory, given how much research has advanced and how many more fossils have been found since then. This is a clear case of Witton writing the book that he wanted to read.

Given how frequently the name T. rex crops up, you might even get a bit annoyed: not you again! All the more reason to read this book. Witton is acutely aware that a veritable subculture has grown up around this one species that “sits, sometimes uncomfortably, on the boundary between science and sensationalism” (p. 1). These popular depictions, often carrying with them an air of scientific authority, bleed into people’s consciousness, creating something less of a dinosaur and more of a chimaera, with traits both exaggerated and fictional. One of Witton’s most important goals with King Tyrant is to “deconstruct hype and controversy” (p. 41). The first chapter daringly combines a précis of the first century of research with an examination of the sociological side. How did this particular species become palaeontology’s rock star? It is a fascinating history that starts at the American Museum of Natural History who promoted it to attract large crowds. It was “proverbial lightning in a bottle” (p. 278), with an influential legacy that lasts to this day in movies, documentaries, and merchandise. And yet, popular depictions “have nothing on what science tells us about the reality of Tyrannosaurus rex” (p. 279).

The bulk of the book thus explores what the science actually shows. The remaining six chapters flow logically into each other: the definition and taxonomy of the species; internal and external anatomy; physiology, growth, sensory biology, locomotion, etc. (i.e., what all this anatomy might have been capable of); ecology and behaviour; and extinction. Indeed, the writing is one of the two highlights of this book. Witton strikes that fine balance between going into quite some technical detail and yet keeping it entertaining. The result is a well-grounded and accessible summary of the scientific consensus on numerous topics.

T. rex, more than any other species, attracts a lot of fringe ideas from inside and outside of academia, and Witton leaves no rock unturned. On the one hand, there are the minority views and “non-troversies” (thanks Witton, I am stealing that brilliant term) that get far too much airtime, such as the existence (or not) of a dwarf species, “Nanotyrannus“, or the scavenging hypothesis, the notion that T. rex was a scavenger rather than a hunter. Needless to say, neither idea curries much favour among professionals. On the other hand, actual scientific debates are often ignored by the press. Opinions are divided on whether dinosaurs were already on their way out before the asteroid impact or were still in their prime. Witton provides the best overview of this topic that I have read so far.

In The Future of Dinosaurs, Hone pointed out the frequent disparity between what people *think* we know, and what we actually know – and plenty of examples of this feature here. Some confident depictions are almost completely fictitious. The trope of the roaring T. rex leads to the question of whether dinosaurs as a group vocalised at all! This is not “overzealous scientific conservatism” (p. 159); we have found, all told, one whole fossilised voice box. The ensuing discussion on the evolution of vocalisation in birds, dinosaurs, and other reptiles shows the complexities and competing scenarios. The opposite also holds: there are topics where the general public does not realise just how much palaeontologists know, such as the anatomy of T. rex‘s face or its remarkable growth pattern with age.

The other highlight of this book is the illustrations, both the artwork and the diagrams. Witton is an accomplished palaeoartist who cares deeply about the scientific accuracy of his artwork. We thus get modern depictions of dinosaurs with fleshy lips and bulky muscles. Each of these paintings is worthy of a frame, and it is hard to pick favourites. The book’s cover, showing T. rex rumbling a closed-mouth vocalisation (a behaviour seen in modern birds and reptiles), is, in my opinion, one of the best pieces he has ever made. The azhdarchid pterosaur stalking a juvenile T. rex on page 250 is also instantly memorable. Even when the subjects are cliché, such as T. rex near erupting volcanoes or the K–Pg impactor streaking across the sky, Witton’s depictions are visually arresting. Labelled photomontages show T. rex‘s “raw osteological charisma” (p. 4), and include detailed close-ups that help you form a mental picture of what all those anatomical bits look like. Equally important are the numerous informative diagrams littered throughout the book. Witton has gone to the painstaking effort of redrawing every one of them, in the process modifying and adapting them as necessary. Instead of a mishmash of styles, ages, production values, and extraneous details, the illustrations are presented in a single unified style. It will have been a huge amount of work for something that most authors and editors would probably consider nominal gains, but it shows his attention to detail, and I, for one, rate this very highly.

King Tyrant is an instant classic: I do not even care that much for T. rex per se, but the book’s brilliant execution immediately lands it a spot in my top 5 for 2025. A compulsory buy for dinosaur enthusiasts, this book is also a valuable overview for professional palaeontologists and an inspirational example of what excellent science communication looks like.

Author interview with Michael J Warren: The Cuckoo’s Lea

Weaving together early literature, history and ornithology, The Cuckoo’s Lea takes the reader on a journey into the past to contemplate the nature and heritage of ancient landscapes. It explores the stories behind our placenames, alongside historical accounts of bird encounters thousands of years ago, their hidden secrets, the nature of places and more.

Michael J. Warren is a naturalist and nature writing author who teaches English at a school in Chelmsford. He was an honorary research fellow at Birbeck Colledge, curates The Birds and Place Project, and is a series editor of Medieval Ecocriticisms. We recently had the opportunity to speak to Michael about The Cuckoo’s Lea, including how he first became interested in birding, what he discovered throughout his research for this book and more.

Firstly, can you tell us a little bit about yourself, and how you became interested in birds and birding?

Professionally I do many different things, but birds, the natural world, conservation and environmentalism are central to all of it. I’m an English school teacher as well as an academic working in the environmental humanities (my PhD was on birds in medieval poetry), so literature, language and history are always intertwined with my love of nature and nature writing. I was formerly chair of the New Networks for Nature group and am currently a trustee for the charity Curlew Action, where I advise on education as it relates to the forthcoming Natural History GCSE.

I’ve been into birds and birding for as long as I can remember, having been encouraged by my uncle and aunt who are both keen naturalists themselves, but most of all I was inspired by my parents as they did one of the best things I think any parent can do for a child – they educated me in the great outdoors. By which, I meant that all our holidays were in various wild locations across the UK, involving ramshackle cottages in remote valleys and by secluded rivers, from which my brothers and I were free to roam, exploring and playing each morning. I have a deep passion for British landscapes and wildlife, and I am who I am today because of those early experiences. They shaped me profoundly, and I’m now trying to do the same with my two daughters (which is working so far, but they’re still young and impressionable right now!)

What inspired you to write a book on the history of place names with avian origins?

Initially this idea came from my academic research on birds in medieval literature and culture. When I started to explore the presence of bird species in place names – in the realm of medieval studies by default as most English place names are Old English in origin and can be traced back to the Middle Ages – I was astounded by just how many there were. I knew there was something really fascinating to examine, including what these names could tell us about people’s ecological knowledge and relationships over one thousand years ago. Every name is a story.

One of my reviewers has kindly described The Cuckoo’s Lea as a ‘Rosetta stone for our ecological knowledge’, but it’s the place-names that are the stone. They provide us with a portal into the imagination of early people who were encountering and interacting with these environments. I realised that placenames were the perfect subject for my first narrative nonfiction book as it combines birds, landscapes, medieval history and ecological history, while also providing the opportunity for me to travel to different places, experience them first hand, and collate all these elements into a personal narrative with broad appeal.

Eurasian Cranes at St. Benets Abbey by Nick Goodrum, via Flickr

Each chapter focuses on a different location and species across the UK. How did you decide which areas to focus on and which of the many species that reside there to highlight?

I went back to the drawing board a lot with that one!

I wrote this book alongside becoming a father: six years of raising two daughters through those early years combined with six years of research, travel, and writing at 4am in the morning because that was the only way to carve out writing time until I got my book deal with Bloomsbury. As such, practicality determined a lot of it – I travelled to locations I could feasibly reach within my budget (at one point we were living on my part-time salary and my wife’s statutory maternity pay) and the restricted time available. Under other circumstances I would have liked to have travelled farther afield for the book – to Ireland, for instance.

My selection was also determined by the range of species that I thought would most appeal to readers. So, although there’s a danger of over-featuring certain birds in nature writing, I knew I had to include cuckoos, cranes and nightingales in the book because everyone loves them! These three species were also popular in medieval culture too, so it made sense to feature them, and I lived in Cranbrook (Kent) for most of the time I was writing the book, so that provided an obvious starting point.

I also thought hard about the range of ideas I wanted to explore relating to how birds evoke and define place for us and allowed this to lead me towards particular birds and/or places. For instance, I wanted to write about the soundscape of birds as a phenomenon that both animates or shapes place – a recurring idea in the book. This meant that owls became important as, to me, they exemplify this enthralling idea that our ancestors naturally and happily recognised bioacoustics as distinguishing properties of a place’s atmosphere. Finally, and again practically, it was also imperative to have some geographical range to my adventures so any reader would be able to read about somewhere in their home county or a nearby county.

What was the most surprising discovery you made whilst researching this book?

I think it was the sheer number of species represented in Old English placenames.

I don’t think you would expect birds to turn up so frequently in placenames, given that you’d want a place-marker or identifier to be reliably solid, present and static – and birds don’t tend to remain static much of the time. Some of the species that can be found in our placenames, such as swallows and cuckoos, aren’t even in Britain for much of the year! On this basis, wrens, buntings, snipe, dunnocks and sparrows aren’t species I expected to find.

There’s also nowhere that really matches the range of species in English placenames. Gaelic does have a good range across both Ireland and Scotland, but it’s difficult to trace the origins of the names beyond the 19th or 18th centuries as the cultures were oral, so names often weren’t recorded until the first OS maps were produced.

On the flip side, I was also surprised by the species that aren’t in our place-names – nightingales, for instance. This species was highly prominent and celebrated in both medieval art and poetry, and would have been much more populous than they are today, so how is it that they didn’t find their way into placenames? (That doesn’t stop me having a chapter on nightingales, by the way.) The same goes for corncrakes. There was an Old English name for the bird, and their calls would have undoubtedly been an unavoidable and loud sound of summer throughout the land. Herons only appear once or twice, and, perhaps most surprisingly, the robin (or ruddock in Old English) doesn’t feature at all!

Cuckoo at Thursley Common by Alan Shearman, via Flickr

Finally, can you tell us what you’re working on at the moment?

Right now, I’m focused on making a success of The Cuckoo’s Lea!

Alongside booking readings, signings and talks, I’m also creating a website titled The Birds and Place Project (birdsandplace.co.uk) which aims to record the birdsong of all the species mentioned in English placenames – which is quite an undertaking! It will be a lifelong project as I’d like to extend it beyond England and the English language to include other countries and languages found across Britain and Ireland. I see it as an extension of my book; and as a site for anyone to find out about this fascinating, but currently little-known, aspect of our natural history and heritage.

Beyond that, I’ve got my eye on my second book, provisionally titled Hibernal: The Obsessions of a Justified Winter Lover. I’m a serious winter fanatic, so I’ve known for some time that my second book will be a meditation on my favourite season. It will be an emotional and personal journey into my obsession with winter, including encounters with those living and surviving the season in the far north, as well as those who can’t stand winter and suffer terribly in the darkness and cold. Plus, it will highlight historical stories about the importance of winter, how previous times and cultures coped with it, and discuss how winter as a season is changing because of climate change. I don’t think there’s much chance of me commencing this book in 2025, but then again, if this book is going to take me another six years, I can’t waste a single winter…

The Cuckoo’s Lea is available here

This Week in Biodiversity News – 2nd June 2025

Wildlife

Poole Harbour’s osprey pair have hatched their fourth chick of the year. The only breeding pair of ospreys on the South Coast have laid a clutch of four eggs for the second year running, and the Birds of Poole Harbour charity has announced that the final chick successfully hatched in the past week. In 2022, female CJ7 and male 002 became the first nesting pair on the south coast in 180 years as part of a reintroduction scheme.

Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) by Birds of Gilgit-Baltistan, via flickr.

Golden Eagles are spreading their range from southern Scotland into England. Around 50 Golden Eagles have been translocated across Scotland since 2018 in an attempt to save this species amidst major population decline. In the past 7 years, South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project (SSGEP) have successfully translocated 28 juveniles and 15 sub-adult golden eagles from the Scottish Highlands to the Scottish borders. Satellite tagging has revealed that a number of birds are beginning to venture into Northumberland, the North Pennines, the Lake District and even as far south as Lancashire and Yorkshire, offering hope for the future reintroduction of Golden Eagles into England.

Environment

Reservoir projects fast-tracked in an attempt to secure England’s water supplies. Two major new reservoirs in East Anglia and south Lincolnshire have been fast-tracked through the planning process as they are now declared as ‘nationally significant.’ As such, the final decisions for these projects will be taken by Environment Secretary Steve Reed, rather than at a local level, with the aim of securing water supplies for future generations. These stores would provide resilience to future droughts in particularly dry areas of the country where water demand is high, and may be completed by 2036 and 2040 respectively. The water industry has welcomed this announcement, but some communities are concerned about increased bills, as well as the potential clearing of homes and farmland to make way for the necessary infrastructure.

Howgill Fells by Robert J Heath, via flickr.

Areas of common ground in the Yorkshire Dales are being restored to their ancient glory. A groundbreaking tree-planting programme is uniting farmers and rewilders alike to bring species back to ‘ghost woodlands’. Howgill Fells had been heavily grazed for hundreds of years, but in just over a decade, an extensive rewilding project has planted 300,000 native trees across common land in 64 acres of sheep-free enclosures. Ecologist Mike Douglas recently conducted his first of four annual surveys monitoring birds in the enclosures. His results have revealed the presence of 11 new breeding bird species since his original survey in the early stages of the project in 2016, and numbers continue to increase year on year.

Policy

Labour have rejected a proposal to provide every new home with at least one swift brick to help endangered cavity-nesting birds. The proposed amendment to the governments Planning and Infrastructure bill requested that every developer provides a single £35 hollow brick for swifts, house martins, sparrows and starlings in every new build home. This was previously supported when it was tabled on Conversative government legislation in 2023, however the current Labour-dominated committee have now stated they are not convinced it is the right approach. A petition calling for these bricks to become mandatory has now reached 80,000, demonstrating the public’s concern on the matter.

Pacific Swift by Stuart Price, via flickr.

Nature-friendly farming fund to be cut in UK spending review. Labour initially promised £5 billion over two years for the post-Brexit farming fund, which will be honoured until 2026, however in the years following it will be slashed in line with wide-scale budget cuts. This nature-friendly initiative replaced the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy and rewards farmers for stewarding nature, soil, and other public goods, rather than solely for land ownership and cultivation. While DEFRA have stated they are planning a new scheme aimed at smaller farms, many larger-scale ones will miss out on these incentives.

#NoMowMay 2025

2025 marks the fifth year that NHBS has participated in Plantlife’s #NoMowMay campaign which encourages people across the UK to put away their lawnmowers and let their grass grow wild throughout the spring, with the aim of providing vital habitats for a wide range of species. As in previous years, we requested that the verges and lawns surrounding the premises be spared from mowing or strimming from late April and all through May to allow more plant species to flower.

We’ve seen good numbers of daisies, buttercups and Germander Speedwell alongside a handful of charming clover species including Red and White Clovers and Black and Spotted Medick. Ribwort Plantain, Common Vetch, Ox-eye Daisy and docks are adding height in places and a handful of common grass species are present and swaying nicely.

We do have one beautiful Common Spotted Orchid flowering now as June begins, though sadly, there’s not been returning Bee Orchids this year, for the first time while we’ve been participating in the campaign.

There’s been a fair few bees, wasps, flies and beetles visiting the flowers, though invertebrate activity all round has felt somewhat diminished from previous years. Through May we had scattered sightings of Orange-Tip, Peacock and Tortoiseshell butterflies, and now as June is arriving Meadow Browns have emerged.

#NoMowMay is a fantastic initiative by Plantlife that has highlighted the importance of giving wild plants places to thrive through a crucial stage in their lifecycles and therefore enrich and advance the opportunities for pollinator species, and the wider web of life that depends upon green spaces, including us humans. It’s vital that spaces are left wilder for longer than May, and to encourage this, Plantlife are encouraging the public to let their lawns or grassy areas continue to bloom through June (and again, ideally beyond) with #LetitbloomJune! We’re hopeful that our lawn will be left to flower throughout the summer too.

Outside NHBS at the beginning of June 2025

At NHBS we offer a large variety of books for learning more about habitat maintenance, the importance of species who rely on the restoration and reinvigoration of wilder spaces and many helpful field guides for identifying who’s growing in and visiting your local park or garden!

Suggested Reading

A Field Guide to Grasses, Sedges and Rushes
Spiralbound | April 2016
£13.99

Harrap’s Wild Flowers: A Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of Britain & Ireland
Paperback | February 2025
£20.00

Collins Wild Flower Guide: The Most Complete Guide to the Wild Flowers of Britain and Ireland
Paperback | June 2016
£24.99

The Book of Wilding: A Practical Guide to Rewilding Big and Small
Hardback | May 2023
£35.00

The Biodiversity Gardener Establishing a Legacy for the Natural World
Hardback | April 2023
£25.00

Equipment in Focus: NHBS Moth Trap

The NHBS Moth Trap is a highly portable option for moth trapping, tested and approved by Butterfly Conservation.

Its easy, flat-pack design features a collapsible frame made from lightweight panels covered in a light coloured nylon, which is easily assembled with Velcro. A single, stainless steel V frame holds the trap’s bulb carrier, secured with a single screw, and supports two top panels that prevent the moths escaping. The trap features a single 20W, shatter-resistant blacklight bulb (included) that is mains powered and is supplied with a 4.5m power lead connecting to a standard UK plug.

Fully assembled, the NHBS moth trap measures approximately 30cm wide x 30cm deep x 50cm tall and weighs around 2kg, making it significantly lighter and much more portable than many moth traps. For convenient transport and storage, it also comes with a carry bag housing all the components.

Learn how to quickly set up your Moth Trap with our video guide below!

Our Findings

NHBS colleagues Oli and Dan recently took our moth trap into their gardens and caught a beautiful range of species, including a Buff Tip, Peach Blossom and Scorched Carpet.

Additional Kits

Our moth trap is also available in two kits:

The Starter Kit includes the trap and all its components, as well as three 60ml collecting pots, perfect for holding specimens, and a copy of the Concise Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland to aid successful species identification.

The NHBS Moth Trap with Inverter Kit comes with an inverter and waterproof battery enclosure, giving you the flexibility to use the trap in any location without having to rely on mains electricity.

Find out more and order your trap today at nhbs.com

If you have any questions about our Moth Trap or would like some advice on the right product for you then please contact us via email at customer.services@nhbs.com or phone on 01803 865913.

This Week in Biodiversity News – 19th May 2025

Wildlife

A mosquito-borne disease has spread to the UK and is now affecting wild bird populations. The deadly Usutu virus was first detected in southern Africa over half a century ago and spread to the UK in 2020. Blackbirds are specifically susceptible to the virus, with mass die-offs occurring as a result of the disease across Europe, and it has recently spread across the UK as far as Dorset and Cambridgeshire. Scientists are now monitoring the spread of the Usutu virus amid concerns that climate change may turn Europe into a breeding ground for its host species, mosquitoes, therefore exacerbating the reach of the disease.

Male blackbird (Turdus merula) perched on a branch by hedera.baltica, via flickr.

Scientists warn about numerous new threats affecting bee populations. A study from the University of Reading has highlighted that war zones, microplastic and air pollution are posing some of the greatest threats to our pollinators. An increase in worldwide conflict has forced countries to grow a smaller variety of agricultural crops, leaving pollinators without a diverse range of food sources throughout the year, whilst investigations into air pollution has revealed that is affecting the survival, reproduction and growth of our key pollinator species. Researchers also tested 315 honey bee colonies and found traces of microplastic contamination within most hives. Professor Simon Potts, the lead author of this report, stated that identifying these news threats and finding ways to protect pollinators early is the key to preventing further population decline.

Extinction risk

‘Vulnerable’ cockatoo species facing further habitat loss due to bushfires. Conservationists have warned that the planned burning of 13,000 hectares of forest in East Gippsland, Australia, may jeopardise declining Glossy Black Cockatoos populations. 64% of this species habitat was burned in the 2019-2020 black summer bushfires, resulting in the population becoming wholly dependent on the 48,000 hectares of unburnt coastal forest around Lake Tyers. Glossy Black Cockatoos feed almost exclusively on the cones of black sheoak trees, which are often subject to planned burning programmes. Australia’s biodiversity, wildlife, and habitat are currently under threat from bushfires, prompting ecologists and nature campaigners to highlight the urgent need for careful management, especially with Victoria’s cockatoo population now estimated at a mere 250.

Glossy Black Cockatoo by Merryjack, via flickr.

Welsh Celtic rainforests under threat. A 2024 survey investigating the ecology of Welsh rainforests has revealed that only 22% of the temperate rainforests found in this area are in ‘good’ condition, with many others under threat due non-native species, storms and inappropriate grazing of livestock. These rare habitats are only found in isolated areas across the world, including the Woodland Trust’s Coed Felenrhyd near Gwynedd, however it is vital that the remaining 33,024 hectares of rainforest left in Wales are protected. Natural Resources Wales manage seven Celtic rainforest reserves in the Meirionnydd area, and have now stated that these ‘exceptionally important sites’ need conservation and landscape scale management to ensure their preservation.

Climate change

The worlds coastlines are still in danger even if climate targets are met. Even if the world achieves the ambitious goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C, researchers project that sea levels are still likely to rise by several meters. New investigations into how ice sheets respond to future climate changes suggest that even with stabilized global warming, this rise may not slow down. A major concern is that melting could accelerate past a viable ‘tipping point’ due to intensified warming from human activity, though scientists are yet to pinpoint this critical threshold. The consequences for coastal communities would be catastrophic, as approximately 230 million people currently live within one meter of high tide lines.

Celebrating 40 Years of NHBS: A journey of passion and commitment to natural history and the environment

NHBS is proud to celebrate its 40th anniversary, marking four decades of supporting those who work to understand, protect, and conserve the natural environment.

History of NHBS

Founded by Bernard Mercer in 1985 as the Natural History Book Service, NHBS began as a mail-order supplier of ornithology books based in London. Our first catalogue was hand-crafted on a state-of-the-art electronic typewriter! Within two years, we evolved into a comprehensive natural history bookstore, committed to supplying all in-print literature on both natural history and science. Shortly after, we relocated to Totnes in Devon, and we have remained here on the edge of the River Dart ever since.

By the late 1980s, in response to customer demand, NHBS expanded its subject range to include habitat and species conservation, climate change, environmental assessment and more. In May 1995, we ventured online with the launch of our first website, and as digital communication grew, our website and email newsletters became increasingly important, leading to our final newspaper catalogue in 2005.

At the start of the new millennium, NHBS began expanding its range to include products such as bat detectors, trail cameras and moth traps, having recognised the growing demand for nature-based equipment. Today, we offer a comprehensive range of books and practical equipment for ecologists, researchers, educational professionals, and wildlife enthusiasts alike.

“Celebrating 40 years is a testament to the dedication and passion of our team and the unwavering support of our customers. We are committed to continuing our mission to provide the best resources and tools for those who strive to protect and understand our natural world.”

Bernard Mercer – Founder and owner

NHBS Around the World

NHBS’s global customer base has led to us sending products to even the most remote corners of the world. These include the Black River in Mauritius, Ascension Island, Benbecula in the Hebrides and Mount Athos in Greece. Our parcels have reached over 140 countries, supporting researchers, educators, and conservationists wherever they are based.

The NHBS Mission

Since we began in the 1980s, our core purpose has been to support individuals and organisations working to understand, protect, and conserve the natural environment.

Forty years on, this continues to drive us, shaping our decisions and inspiring our ongoing work in the conservation world.

We’re have collaborated with a wide range of leading NGOs such as Butterfly Conservation, The Riverfly Partnership and Buglife, and to date, we have donated over £35,000 to support their vital work. In 1999 we also developed the Gratis Book Scheme, which was launched alongside the British Ecological Society and successfully delivered hundreds of books free of charge to students living in developing countries.

Thank you and Looking Ahead

As we reflect on the past 40 years, we’re grateful for our valued customers and the countless individuals and organisations we’ve had the privilege of supporting. We are proud to have forged close partnerships with many conservation organisations who share our values – the Mammal Society, Butterfly Conservation, Bat Conservation Trust and CIEEM, to name just a few, and we look forward to working together to better British conservation.

Looking ahead, we are excited about the future of NHBS and the continued pursuit to fulfil our mission to empower and support those working in conservation.

Thank you for being part of our journey and we look forward to the next 40 years!

The NHBS team

Salford Swift Street Initiative

Placed on the IUCN Red List in 2021, Swifts are now recognised as one of Britain’s most endangered bird species, having suffered a staggering population decline of around 60% in just 25 years. These incredible birds return to the same nesting site each year after migrating from a summer in Africa, however due to urban development and land use changes, their natural nesting sites are rapidly disappearing, which is accelerating their already concerning population decline.

Suzanne and RSPB Community Engagement Officer Roshni Parmar Hill on installation daySuzanne and RSPB Community Engagement Officer Roshni Parmar Hill on installation day. — Suzanne and RSPB Community Engagement Officer Roshni Parmar-Hill on installation day.

In 2024, over 40 residents of two neighbouring streets in Swinton, Salford decided to take action and create their own ‘Swift Street.’ This community-led project saw the creation and installation of over 100 specialist nest boxes, providing essential nesting spaces for their local swift colony. The Swift Street initiative is part of a wider effort to transform Manchester into a Swift City and ensure the long-term survival of these endangered birds.

In this blog, resident Suzanne Pendleton and RSPB Community Engagement Officer Roshni Parmar-Hill tell us about their journey to create the largest Swift Street in the north-west of England.

My Swift Street Experience – Suzanne Pendleton

My name is Suzanne Pendleton, and I am a mum to two girls, Molly and Tess. I have lived in Houghton Lane in Swinton, Salford with them and my hubby for 30 years, and have been involved in the Greater Manchester Swift Street initiative since August 2024.

During lockdown, I started to value spending more and more time in our little garden as so many people did, and whilst I was outside, I spotted a number of birds zooming around, screaming and flying over our house. At first I wasn’t quite sure what they were, so I asked my friend Kathleen and she enlightened me that they were Swifts! Swifts are migratory birds, so when summer ended they left Swinton and headed back to Africa, but every year I eagerly anticipate their return.

Over time, my understanding of this species grew, and I learnt of their declining population numbers – whilst also developing a stiff neck constantly looking up to the sky to watch their incredible manoeuvres! I am privileged to live in a friendly community on Houghton Lane, so I messaged our community group and asked if anyone knew about our Swift population, or where they may be nesting. Initially we were unsuccessful in locating their nesting sites, however we struck gold in Spring 2024 with the help of the Swift Mapper app and discovered we had four nest sites on Houghton Lane and its surrounding roads.

In this time, I’d also discovered that there was another small colony located less that 1/4 mile away, and a resident of this local road got in touch to tell us that Roshni from the RSPB had been to visit their colony and help establish their Swift Street – she then asked if we would be interested in developing our own Swift Street on Houghton Lane. I think we are so privileged that these incredible urban birds choose to nest on our lane, and as their nesting sites are often threatened by redevelopment, having the means to install boxes provides us with a wonderful opportunity to support them.

Residents Suzanne Pendleton and Kathleen Sides holding up the Swift boxes made by The Skills Company, Trafford.

This project has been a whole-community effort, superbly guided by the wonderful Roshni. With her incredible support and guidance, we used our community group to share the news of the development and launch of our own Swift Street, and we were overwhelmed by the local response. So many families were keen to support our Swift population, and we received requests for over 80 boxes. In January, we were blessed with some bright days, which allowed us to visit each home that had requested a Swift box and advise the families in selecting a suitable aspect and position for their box. As we chatted to more residents about the project I grew in confidence talking about Swifts, and increased my own knowledge too.

Roshni also gathered support from a local college who built our Swift boxes, whilst a local resident, Haldis, made our nest cups. Roshni and several Swift Ambassadors (volunteers who work alongside communities to raise awareness of Swifts and encourage positive action to protect them) then visited our Girl Guiding group to lead some Swift-themed activities which captivated the girls’ interest. They loved learning about the species and contributing to the project by painting our boxes with bird-friendly materials recommended by the RSPB. Saturday 8th March was our first installation day, and local roofer Ryan put up 25 boxes. Since then, we have now installed over 80 along the street, and we are ready for the first wave of our Swift populations to return!

Ryan Cawdron installing boxes on Houghton Lane.

It’s been an absolute honour to be involved in this project, and I feel so lucky that our community can do something practical to support our local Swifts.

RSPB Community Engagement Officer – Roshni Parmar-Hill

I’ve been so privileged to work alongside individuals as passionate and energetic as Suzanne whilst bringing the Swinton Swift Street project to life. This truly is a community endeavour – proving that, to misquote a famous phrase ‘it takes a village to save a Swift’. From Suzanne’s tireless recruitment of her neighbours’ support along her street, and the hard work of her Girl Guide pack painting and waterproofing the nest boxes, to the students of independent skills provider The SkillCentre in Trafford who constructed the boxes, it’s been a joy to see so many people pull together to take positive action for nature.

Swift boxes being carefully stored at Haldis Corry’s house (a Swift Champion who lives nearby)

The screaming calls of migratory Swifts are what first drew Suzanne to this species and fostered her connection. If we want to keep welcoming them back screeching overhead every summer, then they need our help now more than ever to create and protect safe nesting habitats. This incredible species travels a whopping 3400 miles to reach the UK from East Africa every year – crossing 25 countries over the course of 4 weeks in their journey to reach us. Swifts spend most of their time in the air – feeding, sleeping and even mating all whilst in flight! – only landing to nest, which is where Suzanne and her neighbours come in.

Swifts return to the exact same nesting spot every year, but increasingly these nesting sites have been hit by property renovations and the removal of old buildings. This has contributed to a 62% decline in Swift numbers between 1995 and 2020, and the species have now been added to the UK’s Red List of Birds, meaning its amongst our most endangered. However, with the installation of over 80 nest boxes on Suzanne’s street, we intend to grow another new urban Swift colony and build on wider ongoing work to develop Manchester into a Swift City. This project is supported by the expansion of our network of brilliant ‘Swift Champions’ who are leading the development of nesting sites at scale, manufacturing swift boxes and raising people’s awareness and engagement of the project and species through walks, talks and workshops.

Roshni and Seamus making Swift Egg cups on a cold January day.

As Suzanne and her neighbours now prepare for a special Swift Homecoming Street Party to officially declare it a Swift Street and welcome their bird’s home, all eyes will be fixed on the skies for a glimpse of the street’s feathered residents moving into their new addresses…

If you feel inspired to bring your own community together in support of Swifts, or want to find out more about all things Swift, including Swift Champions, nest boxes and the Swift Mapper app, then head to https://www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/news/how-the-species-volunteer-network-is-supporting-volunteers-and-communities-to-help-save-swifts

Explore our range of swift boxes here.

The NHBS Guide to UK Orchid Identification

Orchidaceae, a family boasting over 28,000 species worldwide, are renowned for their intricate beauty and fascinating adaptations. These perennial plants exhibit a remarkable diversity of forms, even within species, with flowers featuring three sepals and three petals, one of which often forms a distinctive lower lip (the labellum) which is an important identification feature. They rely on diverse pollination methods, often involving intricate relationships with insects and fungi, and are highly specialised to survive in specific habitats.

The UK is home to 57 native orchid species, ranging from common meadow flowers to prized rarities. This blog explores a group of these British orchids and provides information on both their identifying characteristics and distribution in the UK.

Bird’s-nest Orchid (Neottia nidus-avis)

birds nest orchid among grass — Image by Bjorn S via Flickr

Identification: Bird’s-nest Orchids are incredibly distinctive and are named for their unique root system that resembles a bird’s nest. They have no leaves, and do not have chlorophyll, so they rely on nutrients provided by mycorrhizal fungi in the soil.

The cylindrical spike grows up to 50cm in height and can carry up to 100 yellow-brown flowers that smell like honey. The sepals and upper petals are short and form a fan-shaped hood at the top of the flower. At the base is a broad, long lobe that is forked in the middle, and at the base of this lip is a shallow cup of nectar which is used to attract small insects for fertilisation.

Distribution: This species has a scattered distribution throughout the UK but is locally common in southern England and Northern Ireland. Bird’s-nest Orchids can be found in mature woodland, especially those with beech and Yew, in southern England and typically flower from early May to late June.

Burnt Orchid (Neotinea ustulata)

Identification: This distinctive orchid has two variations: early flowering and late flowering forms, which exhibit subtle differences in flower colour. This orchid is conical to cylindrical in shape and features densely packed, deep-purple flower buds. These flowers have dark purple-red sepals and pale petals, including a four lobed white lip with red-purple spots.

Early Flowering Form: Grows up to 10cm tall, with a closely packed flower spike bearing up to 50 small flowers. The sepals and upper petals form a tight, darkly coloured hood, which appears red-brown when the flowers first open and quickly fades as the bud matures. It has a long white lip with two rounded side lobes, and a bluntly forked central lobe. Early flowering forms have a strong, sweet scent and are pollinated by flies.

Late Flowering Form: Typically found between 8 and 15cm in height. Late flowering form flowers have shorter, blunter lobes and the red colouring on the hood remains strong even with maturity. The edges of the lip are usually flushed with colour, which can spread over the whole lip in some cases.

Distribution: Formerly widespread throughout the UK but has undergone declines in the north and midlands. It is now found in a few localities, mainly in southern England, on chalk and limestone grassland and meadows. Early flowering forms bloom mid May to mid June. Later flowering forms bloom late June to early August.

Greater Butterfly Orchid (Plantanthera chlorantha)

Identification: Greater Butterfly Orchids can grow up to 60cm in height. The plant consists of a tall spike of up to 40 greenish-white flowers in a loose cluster. The overall flower structure is similar to Lesser Butterfly Orchids and has ovate lateral sepals with a wavy edge like the wings of a butterfly. The upper sepal and petals form a broad, green-white hood and a long, translucent lip has a green tip. At the base of the stem, there are two large, shiny leaves that are blue green in colour and elliptical in shape.

Distribution: Widespread throughout the UK, but most common in southern England. Found in meadows, open scrub, grassland and ancient woodland on chalk grassland or calcareous soil. Flowers from late May to late July, where they emit a powerful scent at night and are pollinated by moths.

Common-spotted Orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii)

Identification: Up to 70cm in height, the spike is either pyramidal or cylindrical in shape and can host up to 70 flowers at a time, all various shades of pink, purple and on occasion, white.

The flowers are slightly scented and are pollinated by a range of insects but are particularly attractive to day-flying moths. They have a three lobed lip with a larger, more triangular central lobe that is marked with a pattern of dark pink spots and stripes. The lateral sepals are spreading, and dorsal sepals and upper petals form a loose hood at the top of the flower. All petals and sepals are marked with dark pink lines and dots. It has spotted, narrow basal leaves that form a rosette at ground level.

Distribution: One of the most common and widespread orchids in the UK, but is absent from much of Cornwall, Devon and northern Scotland. They can be found in a range of habitats, including woodland, dry grassland, wet meadows, marshes, man-made road verges and railway embankments. Common-spotted Orchids can be found in flower from mid-May to early August.

Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis)

Identification: This species is named for the pyramid shape of its flower spike during early growth stages, before it matures into an elongated, cylindrical shape. The flower spike grows up to 60cm in height and is densely flowered with up to 100 flowers at a time. These can be pale pink, to reddish pink in colour and have a sweet vanilla-like scent. The lower lip is divided into three lobes, which can vary in shape, and the sepals and upper petals form a tight hood over the flower. Pyramidal Orchids have up to four grey-green, narrow basal leaves.

Distribution: Common and widespread in England and Wales. It can be found on grassland and sand dunes on chalk and limestone soils, and grows well on human-made habitats, including road verges and roundabouts.

Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera)

Identification: These distinctive plants have a flower that resembles the body of a bumblebee – a pattern that has since lost significance in the UK, so this species relies on self-pollination.

It grows between 10-50cm in height, and each plant can develop up to seven good-sized flowers. At the base of the stem, there is a rosette of five to six grey green basal leaves – these sit at ground level and have two sheathing leaves that grow upwards on the stem. The distinctive, velvety lip has three lobes – the central section is slightly convex and the side lobes form two small humps. It is rich maroon to purple-brown in colour, with grey and pale-yellow markings. The three wing-like sepals are pink and have a central green vein. Upper petals are brown and cylindrical in shape, forming the antennae of the bee.

Distribution: Found throughout Britain, although scarce in Cornwall, north Devon and Scotland. Bee Orchids can be found on dry chalk and limestone grasslands, calcareous dunes and roadsides or waste ground. Flowers from early June to late July.

Fly Orchid (Ophrys insectifera)

Identification: This fascinating species has evolved to resemble an insect in order to attract pollinators. Fly Orchids can grow up to 60cm in height and can bear up to 15 flowers on a spindly stem. The flower has a velvety texture and is dark purplish brown in colour with an iridescent blue band in the middle of the lip. The lip is long, with two short side lobes, and a central lobe that is notched at the bottom. At the base, there are two coloured patches that resemble eyes, with the same velvety texture. The flower has three sepals that are pointed, yellow green in colour and stiff. The thin upper petals are dark purple or brown and resemble antennae.

Fly Orchids typically have three to four dark green basal leaves, that are shiny on the surface and have blunt tips.

Distribution: Widespread throughout the UK, but populations are declining and are fairly scattered in northern England and north Wales due to habitat loss. Fly Orchids can be found in deciduous open woodland, open scrub, grassland, quarries and roadside banks on chalk and limestone soils, and flowers from May to early June.

Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula)

Identification: A distinctive purple flower on a tall spike. Early Purple Orchids can grow up to 60cm in height, and are easily recognisable by their pink-purple flowers and spotted leaves. The flower spike is oval or cylindrical, carries up to fifty flowers at once on a dense cone-shaped cluster, and has darkly spotted, glossy basal leaves that form a rosette on the ground.

Their sepals spread upwards, and the lip is broad with three lobes and lightly crinkled edges. The centre of this broad lip is paler in colour, and features darker coloured spots over the surface. Upper petals and sepals form a hood at the top of the flower, which has a sweet honey-like scent, that quickly turns unpleasant (likened to tomcat urine) as the flower matures. Flowers do not produce nectar and are pollinated by a variety of bees.

Distribution: Early Purple Orchids can be found throughout the UK, with very scattered groups or complete absence in some regions due to habitat loss and agricultural management. These orchids are found mainly on chalk and limestone soils, in woodland, grassland, rocky cliffs, road verges and embankments. Flowers first appear in spring, typically from early April to early June.

Common Twayblade (Neottia ovata)

Identification: Common Twayblades can be readily identified by a pair of broad, round or egg-shaped basal leaves that are flush to the ground. The hairy flower spike can grow up to 50cm in height and contains up to 100 clustered, green flowers that are likened to small people – the upper petals and sepals form a hood over a long, yellowish-green forked lip which resemble legs. They have a slightly musky scent and are pollinated by small insects including wasps, beetles and sawflies.

Distribution: Common and widely distributed throughout the UK. Common Twayblades can be found on grassland, deciduous woodland, dune slacks, road verges and chalky soils. Flowers from late April to early August.

Recommended Reading:

Britain’s Orchids | September 2020

A magnificent work combining close to 100 illustrative plates with over 1,000 colour photos to cover all orchid species, subspecies and varieties, as well as hybrids, at all stages of development.

Orchids of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East | January 2025

Presents the first comprehensive overview of all named orchid taxa from Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, covering etymology, flowering period, habitat, geographical distribution and more for each taxon.

Guide to Orchids | January 2008

With colour paintings covering 69 species, subspecies and hybrids, this 12-panel chart covers all the orchids that are likely to be seen in Great Britain (including the Channel Islands) and Ireland.

2025 Biological Recorders Conference for Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

I recently had the opportunity to run a group workshop at the 2025 Biological Recorders Conference for Cornwall and Isles of Scilly – a fantastic day dedicated to celebrating the vital wildlife recording efforts in Cornwall. Held at the University of Exeter’s Penryn Campus, the event brought together a diverse group – from those just starting their wildlife observation journey to seasoned experts, all sharing a genuine passion for the county’s natural wonders. It was inspiring to network with fellow enthusiasts, and the range of workshops and insights into the latest projects was truly exciting.

This year’s focus, ‘Data for the Future: Recording Nature in a Changing World’ was particularly thought-provoking. The conference explored the recent shifts in recording methods, including the increasing adoption of structured monitoring, the exciting technology used in recording and the value of traditional techniques. It was a valuable day, and I’m looking forward to sharing some of my key takeaways from the event.

Key highlights

It was great to connect with so many people with unique and varied interests. I spent most of my morning meeting lots of likeminded people who are interested in biological recording, chatting all things equipment and answering lots of questions about the kit. Throughout the day, I attended some interesting talks from a number of researchers and organisations. My highlights are as follows:

Pollinator Responses to Urban Green Environments – Oliver Poole, University of Exeter

Oliver’s research focussed on planting green spaces, and whether green spaces are working for both pollinators and people. His research wanted to find out what delivers the most benefits to these groups, and interestingly, his results showed that a mix of native and ornamental plants had the best scores for pollinators and people.

Honey bees in a flower — Image by PapaPiper via Flickr

Sea Bass Monitoring, Robin Bradley

This talk centred on the work of a volunteer group, who record data on juvenile bass in the Fal, Helford and Camel estuaries to analyse the strength of each successive year class. Their valuable data has now been validated and added to a larger dataset that will contribute to work across Europe. I particularly enjoyed the wider message of this talk, which emphasised the importance and value of community and citizen science in the wildlife space.

Camel Estuary — Camel estuary by Rob Hodgkins via Flickr

Tor to Shore – Recording Opportunities, Dr Gwen Maggs

Another interesting talk discussing the Tor to Shore project, an expansive undertaking from Cornwall Wildlife Trust to create a Local Nature Recovery Network spanning across land and sea. The talk discussed the project, and the work on the Trust’s farm, linking to lowlands, an expanding sand dune system, and into the sea with seagrass and maerl habitats.

Data for the Future: Hardware in the Field

I had the opportunity to speak in a group workshop, where I demonstrated some wildlife recording kit and discussed the different types of hardware that can be used for a range of monitoring. It was great to demonstrate the capabilities of wildlife equipment and their applications in the field, and I was able to cover a wide range of monitoring including traditional methods, acoustics, telemetry, video and thermal imaging.

I started with a focus on traditional monitoring, before moving on to advancements in the sector and its technology across a range of habitats and environments. I covered a range of equipment, from bat detectors and camera traps to thermal imaging and our upcoming NEWTCAM. It was great to receive such interest in the kit, and with wildlife technology becoming more and more accessible, it is a great opportunity to share the latest technology to wildlife recorders in the South-west.

It was great to meet so many likeminded individuals interested in biological recording and I particularly enjoyed the emphasis, and appreciation of, citizen science and the value that community can bring to conservation. Overall, it was an inspiring day, and I look forward to attending next year’s conference!