Staff – Hoopoe – A blog by nhbs

Our Staff Favourites

Welcome to our annual round-up of the books and equipment we have enjoyed reading and using this year, all chosen by members of the NHBS team.

Close Encounters of the Fungal Kind

This book takes you on a mycological odyssey, exploring the vast fungal kingdom through beautiful prose, engaging anecdotes, and fascinating facts. I particularly liked how the chapters are broken up into mushroom-based ecological niches like rotters or parasites, making an overwhelming amount of information easily accessible. An ideal gift for the fungally-inclined people in your life.

– Tom, Technical Advisor

Ocean Bottle

I love the simple design and vibrant colours of this recyclable bottle! Although what really sets the Ocean Bottle apart is its commitment to cleaner oceans – each item sold funds the removal of 1,000 plastic bottles from the marine environment! I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to reduce their plastic consumption and help protect our planet.

– Jess, Equipment Purchasing Coordinator

Living on Earth

I was very excited to get my hands on the finale to this ambitious trilogy – and I was not disappointed! This book marks the conclusion to an exploration of intelligence on planet Earth and its origins. It touches on how life shapes, and has been shaped by, its environment and takes readers on an exploration through compelling accounts of intelligence in the natural world – an excellent read, and the perfect finish to this thought-provoking trilogy!

– Poppy, Ecology Content Editor

Viking Cygnus Monocular

If you are looking for a handy monocular then the Viking Cygnus is a great choice. It is easy to fit in my coat pocket so I tend to take it with me much more that I would a heavier pair of binoculars. It is also lightweight and easy to handle – my son had a great time with it in the woods!

– Adam, Marketing and Sales Manager

Wilding

Isabella Tree’s Wilding is a special blend of personal narrative and ecological exploration. Her vivid descriptions and terrific storytelling bring rewilding to life and paints a hopeful picture for the future of ecological recovery in Britain – it has left me with a renewed appreciation for the power of nature and its remarkable ability to heal itself. This illustrated children’s version makes a lovely gift.

– Jo, Marketing Assistant

Bird Photographer of the Year

As a wildlife photographer and cameraman, it’s always been a draw to me to look at the structure and composition of how others “see” their subject. Ansel Adams once said that it is the 12 inches behind the camera that is the most important part of an image making process. While the camera hardware is important, the photographer’s eye is more so. This book shows that that is the case, with amazing studies of birds, their lives, and the beauty of nature. This year’s book is truly inspiring.

– Simon, Books Purchasing Coordinator

Num’axes Bird Feeder

A step-up from the average bird feeder, this innovative product captures high-quality videos and photos of birds and other wildlife in action. It works well in all weather conditions and has been used to capture superb videos around my garden – a must have for any bird enthusiast!

– Mark, Product and Purchasing Manager

Under the Changing Skies

Under Changing Skies is a sweeping, lyrical and illuminating journey through the British countryside as written by some of the countries most celebrated nature writers. This collection of entries for the Guardian’s Country Diary will make a beautiful gift for nature lovers!

– Oli, Designer

Gift in a Tin Range

The Gift in a Tin range has everything you need to create your own wooden models, plus a cool fact sheet to learn more about the animals in the kit. They are a great way to spark children’s interest in nature, while having some creative fun at the same time, and are perfect for an affordable gift, or a treat for yourself!

– Dan, Technical Advisor

Bird Nester Gift Box

This gift box is a fantastic little package for any budding birdwatcher. The nest itself is beautifully designed and is made with recycled saris which adds a unique touch to every nest. Plus, the included bird food is a great way to support local wildlife, especially during the colder months – a great way to bring a bit of nature into your home.

– Elle, Marketing Coordinator

Nature’s Calendar

Inspired by the traditional Japanese calendar, this book takes the reader through 72 seasons in the British Isles. Each season is represented by different natural phenomenon, and the book features themes of folklore, tradition and natural history. It is a great way to learn more about how nature changes throughout the seasons and has allowed me to interact with the world around me in a unique way.

– Sam, Publishing Assistant

StarSense Explorer LT 70AZ Refractor Telescope

StarSense Explorer LT 70AX Refractor Telescope

This telescope is a great choice for budding astronomers! It’s the first telescope that uses a dedicated app to analyse the night sky, which identifies all the constellations and celestial objects visible to the user. It’s perfect for those who are just getting started with astronomy and would make a brilliant gift this Christmas!”

– Adam, Technical Advisor

Garden Wildlife Watching: Sabine’s Trail Cameras

Although widely used by ecologists, trail cameras are popular with naturalists, wildlife watchers and those who are simply curious as to what creatures can be found in their gardens. They allow us to monitor the wildlife around us without impacting their natural behaviours and can capture both images and video during the day and night, with the help of infrared imaging technology. Trail cameras are constructed to endure harsh outdoor conditions, including wind, rain and temperature fluctuations, making them robust and long-wearing.

With this technology we can observe wildlife that we may not otherwise be able to see. They allow us to watch easily startled species, like deer, or those that are nocturnal, like foxes. We can also record and observe a much broader, and more natural, range of behaviours without disturbance from humans.

Our colleague, Sabine, recently captured some excellent footage on two trail cameras around her home using the Num’axes PIE1060 Solar Wi-Fi Trail Camera and the Browning Strike Force Pro1080. The cameras were placed in her orchard, which has a small stream, and were left to record for around four months and one year respectively, capturing some exciting finds.

Here’s what Sabine found:

A pair of Magpies (Pica Pica) drinking and bathing in a stream, a natural behaviour which can easily be disturbed by human presence.

The Browning detected Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus) during both the daytime and night time around the orchard. Deer are easily startled by human presence and trail cameras allow us to observe their natural, relaxed behaviours.

Another day and night comparison of Pheasants (Phasianus colchicus). Videos recorded by the trail camera gave us a great insight into their breeding behaviours, not commonly seen in the flesh.

A possible Bank Vole (Myodes glareolus) emerging from its burrow. Usually sticking to their underground burrows, or dense surrounding vegetation, a carefully placed trail camera can even be used to capture the more unusual species found across the British countryside.

A Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) perched on a fence post to have its morning meal of a large nut. Another example of natural, undisturbed behaviour of a typically wary species.

For more information on how to choose a trail camera, see our buyers guide and our trail camera blogs on the Conservation Hub.

The Big Butterfly Count: NHBS Staff Results 2024

Each year, Butterfly Conservation urges the public to venture outdoors and record their local lepidoptera populations with the Big Butterfly Count – a UK-wide survey aiming to assess the health of butterflies and day-flying moths. The count involves recording the number and species of butterflies in a chosen area for fifteen minutes and uploading results to their official website.

There are around 130 day-flying macro moths and 59 species of butterfly in the UK. These highly sensitive animals are key indicators of environmental health and play a crucial role in pollination across the country. The latest State of the UK Butterflies report, an assessment on British butterflies, found that the group has declined by 80% since the 1970s. The Big Butterfly Count allows the health and trends of these species to be assessed, improving our understanding of their conservation and threats.

This year’s count took place between Friday 12th July and Sunday 4th August, and the results from nationwide counts can be found on Butterfly Conservation’s interactive map. Over 140,000 counts were taken during this time, recording nearly 1,000,000 butterflies. Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus), Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina), Large White (Pieris brassicae), Small White (Pieris rapae) and Peacock (Aglais io) butterflies were the most recorded species across all data points, accounting for over 670,000 sightings.

This years count revealed the lowest numbers on record, and has led to the announcement of a nationwide ‘butterfly emergency’. On average, seven butterflies and day-flying moths were seen per count, half of last years average. This years count observed significant downward trends in the group, with around 81% of species showing declines, and 600,000 less butterflies recorded than last year (which equates to around a third of 2023’s total observations). 9,000 counts did not record any butterflies, which is the highest number recorded in the history of the count.

We participated in the Big Butterfly Count this year, and are excited to share our results below.

Staff results

Sabine

a brown and orange butterfly sun bathing in a bush — Gatekeeper by Sabine

3 Small White (Pieris rapae)
2 Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
1 Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus)
1 Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus)

Guy

1 Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris)
2 Green-veined White (Pieris napi)
1 Large White (Pieris brassicae)
7 Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus)
8 Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina)
2 Peacock (Aglais io)
1 Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)

Laura

a small butterfly with red patches sits on top of a cluster of small flowers — Red Admiral by Laura

5 x Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
4 x Peacock (Aglais io)
2 x Large White (Pieris brassicae)
1 x Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas)
1 x Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria)
1 x Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
1 x Comma (Polygonia c-album)

Elle

A creamy white butterfly feeding on a thistle — Image by Steve Byrne via Flickr

3 x Small White (Pieris rapae)

To find out how you can support UK butterfly conservation and to find your local branch, visit the Butterfly Conservation website.

Restore Nature Now 2024

The Restore Nature Now March took place in Central London on Saturday 22nd June. The march saw the coming together of over 350 charities, businesses and direct-action groups calling on the government to work harder to protect biodiversity in the UK and Restore Nature Now! Some of the NHBS team travelled up from Devon and joined the estimated 100,000 people that took part in the march.

‘The Restore Nature Now march felt really galvanizing. It was heartening to walk with so many ecologists, scientists and activists and to dip into conversations about the amazing work people are participating in around the country to lead and assist in nature recovery. I was really moved by the impassioned speeches in parliament square from a host of brilliant speakers, and the sight of three peregrine falcons over Westminster was a potent and magical moment too!’ – Oli

A large puppet bat held by a crowd. — A large bat puppet made by the Bat Conservation Trust.

A vibrant banner to stand up for nature.

‘It felt great to be a part of the march and join so many other people passionate about our nature and wildlife. The speakers at Parliament Square were inspirational, sadly I’m not sure if our politicians heard them, but we will be back and continue to be a voice for nature.’ – Adam

An estimated 100,000 took part in the march.

The march was supported by a range of nature-focused organisations including RSPB, Plantlife and WWF.

The family-friendly march had lots of entertainment and interactive activities.

WHY DID THE DEMONSTRATION TAKE PLACE?

Restore Nature Now took place to call on political parties to act on the climate crisis and use the upcoming general election as a turning point. Their demands are as follows:

A PAY RISE FOR NATURE: To facilitate nature recovery, agricultural landowners need more support to make climate-friendly choices, and to do this, Restore Nature Now urged the UK government to double the nature and climate-friendly farming budget.

MAKE POLLUTERS PAY: Big business significantly contributes to environmental decline and the climate crisis, and to tackle this, organisers asked for new rules and regulations to be introduced to enforce greater contributions.

MORE SPACE FOR NATURE: Restore Nature Now campaigned for the expansion and improvement of protected areas and called for an improvement of public land and national parks to make a greater contribution to nature recovery.

A RIGHT TO A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT: Calling for the creation of an Environmental Rights Bill, organisers are looking for the UK Government to drive better nature decisions to improve public health.

FAIR AND EFFECTIVE CLIMATE ACTION: To solve the climate crisis, and in turn save nature, more investment is required into effective climate action.

Restore Nature Now was a fantastic demonstration of hope and a call to action for the UK government. Our staff had an enlightening experience and thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment and talks throughout the day.

30 Days Wild: NHBS Update

30 Days Wild is an annual challenge organised by The Wildlife Trusts which encourages people across Britain to do one wild thing every day in the month of June. This year marks the 10th anniversary of 30 Days Wild, and the Trusts are celebrating with more people than ever. From dining al fresco to taking part in a beach clean, there is something for everyone with this initiative. NHBS are taking part in 30 Days Wild this year, and we would like to share how our staff are exploring the wonders of nature.

Here’s a selection of things we’ve done so far:

Jo has been working hard to grow strawberries at home and has finally managed to pick the first of her home-grown fruits!

Simon has been bird watching at Slapton Sands and Berry Head in the summer sun and has found some fascinating coastal species, including Guillemots and Cormorants.

We had a wildlife hunt on our office lawn – #NoMowMay and Let it Bloom June have treated us to an amazing diversity of organisms, including a Southern Marsh Orchid, a Painted Lady Butterfly and a Little Brown Mushroom.

Oli captured a fantastic image of a female Great Spotted Woodpecker while visiting a bird feeder in his local area!

In Brixham Harbour, Simon has been spotting cetaceans and marine mammals including Harbour Porpoise and Grey Seals!

30 Days Wild has been a great way for all of us at NHBS to explore nature. The initiative is a perfect reminder to take some time outside every day, take a deep breath and to smell the flowers. Follow our journey throughout June on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) – stay tuned to see some wildlife drawings, leaf rubbings and a busy bug hotel!

The Big Garden Birdwatch: NHBS Staff Results 2024

The RSPB’s 45th Big Garden Birdwatch took place between Friday 26th and Sunday 28th January 2024. This annual event is one of the largest citizen science wildlife surveys in the UK and helps us gain an understanding of how our garden bird populations are changing in abundance and distribution over time. Over half a million people took part in last year’s event, recording a total of 9.1 million birds. House Sparrows took first place, despite a gradual 57% decrease in sightings since the first Birdwatch Count in 1979. They were closely followed by the Blue Tit and Starling.

Although the Big Garden Birdwatch has finished, there is still time to submit your results on the RSPB website by the 18th February, or by post before the 13th February. Even if you didn’t see anything, it still counts!

With birds being faced with an increasing number of challenges each year, it’s more important than ever to make your garden and outdoor space wildlife friendly. This can include installing bird feeders or tables which provide an important food source throughout the winter months when natural food sources are scarce., You can also provide clean, fresh drinking water in shallow containers such as bird baths or saucers, and install nest boxes for breeding in the spring. Also, don’t forget to regularly clean and maintain your feeders and baths as this helps stop the spread of disease. Head over to the RSPB website to find out more about how you can help your garden birds.

A robin stood on top of a wet wooden fencepost. — Robin – Catherine Mitson

Results

As usual, many of our staff took part in this year’s Big Garden Birdwatch from their gardens or local parks across Devon, and we recorded a total of 129 birds and 22 different species. Compared to last years results, there was a 31% increase in sightings, while an additional nine species were spotted in this year’s count. The most sighted bird was the Carrion Crow, closely followed by the Blue Tit and Magpie. In comparison, the county’s top birds were the House Sparrow, Blue Tit and Starling.

Sabine took part in the event from her garden and spotted:

3 Carrion Crow

2 Wood Pigeon

1 Robin

2 Magpie

1 Blackbird

1 Song Thrush

Common Wood Pigeon sat on a small wooden bird feeder house by a Silver Birch tree. — Wood Pigeon – Oli Haines

Oli took part in the event from his garden and spotted:

3 Blackbirds

2 Woodpigeon

3 Jackdaw

2 Blue tits

1 Dunnock

1 Great tit

1 Robin

1 Magpie

1 Goldfinch

Adam took part in the event from his garden and spotted:

2 Blackbirds

6 Blue Tits

1 Chaffinch

2 Great Tits

4 House Sparrow

Photograph of a Dunnock sat on a wooden fencepost in a garden looking up at the sky about to fly off. — Dunnock – Oli Haines

Catherine took part in the event from her garden and spotted:

2 Collared Dove

2 Jackdaw

4 Starling

1 Woodpigeon

Mark took part in the event from his local park and spotted:

5 Parakeets

12 Crows

4 Magpies

10 Herring Gull

Blackbird stood on a branch with trees and blue sky behind it. — Blackbird – Catherine Mitson

Elle took part in the event from her garden and spotted:

2 Blue Tits

1 Dunnock

1 Grey Wagtail

2 Wood Pigeon

1 Magpie

1 Great Tit

Mal took part in the event from her local park and spotted:

3 Carrion Crow

1 Buzzard

Daniel took part in the event from his garden and spotted:

10 Chaffinch

7 Blue Tits

5 Long Tailed Tits

4 House Sparrow

3 Great Tits

2 Goldfinch

1 Coal Tit

1 Blackbird

1 Wren

1 Dunnock

1 Robin

Female Blackbird stood on grass covered in leaves. — Blackbird – Catherine Mitson

We’d also love to hear what you spotted if you took part – let us know in the comments below.

The RSPB:

For more information on UK garden birds, identification guides, the 2024 Big Garden Birdwatch, past results and more, please visit the RSPB website.

The RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2024

For the past 45 years, the RSPB has been running one of the largest citizen science projects in the world, the Big Garden Birdwatch. Every January more than half a million people take to their gardens, parks and balconies to count the birds they see. This huge dataset has allowed the RSPB to create a comprehensive picture of how our local birds are faring, and to examine changes in both abundance and distribution over time.

This year’s Big Garden Birdwatch will take place from the 26th to 28th January and anyone can sign up to take part – all it takes is an hour of your time to record the birds you see in your area and send these results to the RSPB. They will then collate all of the data and publish the results in spring.

How to take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch

- Sign up on the RSPB website
- Find a good spot to watch the birds in your garden or a local park and choose an hour between between Friday 26th and Sunday 28th January.
- Have fun identifying the species visiting your garden during that hour and count the maximum number of each species you see at any one time. For example, if you see a group of three House Sparrows together and after that another one, the number to submit is three. This method means it is less likely you will count the same birds more than once and makes data analysis easier. Make a note of any other wildlife that you spot as well.
- Submit your results on the Big Garden Birdwatch website. Even if you don’t see anything, that’s still useful information. (If you can’t submit your results online, you can print off the form from the free guide and send it by post).
- Join in the conversation on RSPB social channels throughout the weekend to see what other nature lovers are spotting across the UK and upload your own pictures and comments using #BigGardenBirdWatch
- Look out for the results in April and take pride in having contributed data from your patch.

What did we learn in the 2023 Big Garden Birdwatch?

In 2023, over half a million people took part in the Big Garden Birdwatch, submitting records of more than 9.1 million birds. The most frequently reported species was the House Sparrow which received 1.4 million sightings, however counts of this bird have notably decreased by 57% when compared to the first Birdwatch in 1979. The second and third spots were held by Blue Tits and Starlings respectively.

Last year’s results highlighted the vulnerability of some of our smaller garden birds and the environments they live in. Long-tailed Tit sightings increased by 39% in 2023, however they are very susceptible to harsh weather conditions and as a result of this, population numbers have fluctuated since the Big Garden Birdwatch began. Meanwhile, Greenfinches and Chaffinches continued to be affected by a disease known as Trichomonosis, which has led to a 34% decline in UK Chaffinch populations and 65% decline in Greenfinches over the last decade.
It is hoped that this year’s Birdwatch will help to give a better picture of how these population are faring a year on.

How can I encourage more birds and other wildlife to my garden?

Participating in the Big Garden Birdwatch is the perfect opportunity to observe how wildlife is using your garden and to give you some insights into how you could make your outdoor space even more attractive to wildlife.

Improving your garden for wildlife can be as simple as leaving a patch of long grass; providing native trees or plants that are good for pollinators such as lavender, buddleja and verbena; or leaving a woodpile for insects to shelter in. You can also supply nest boxes for birds, bat boxes for summer roosting bats, access panels and shelters for hedgehogs, shelter for frogs and toads, and of course bird feeders, which will bring a multitude of species to your garden.

Recommended books and equipment

Collins Bird Guide: The Most Complete Guide to the Birds of Britain and Europe

With expanded text and additional colour illustrations, the third edition of the hugely successful Collins Bird Guide is a must for every birdwatcher. The combination of definitive text, up-to-date distribution maps and superb illustrations makes this book the ultimate field guide, essential for every birdwatcher and field trip.

RSPB Handbook of British Birds

This easy-to-use book is a complete guide to the UK’s most familiar birds and, having been revised for its fifth edition, the RSPB Handbook of British Birds now includes new artwork, additional rarities, extra comparison spreads and a fully updated taxonomic order, in addition to a detailed maps reflecting current UK distributions.

Europe’s Birds: An Identification Guide

Covering more than 900 species, and illustrated with over 4,700 photographs, this is the most comprehensive, authoritative and ambitious single-volume photographic guide to Europe’s birds ever produced. The images are stunning to look at, making this a beautiful book to enjoy, as well as an up-to-date and essential source of identification knowledge.

Park and Garden Birds

This newly updated fold-out guide covers the top 50 birds of gardens and parks, including ponds and rivers. Designed for speedy bird identification with living birds in the garden, the guide features beautiful colour paintings by Chris Shields. Accompanying text on the reverse side covers body size, food, key identification notes and conservation status.

Challenger Plastic Seed Feeder

This seed feeder is ideal for small spaces due to its size and is made from durable, long-lasting plastic. The feeder includes perching rings which have been designed to allow birds to feed in their natural facing forward position and is available in two different sizes.

NHBS Wooden Bird Nest Box

Installing a nest box in your garden is one of the easiest ways to support local bird populations, providing them with a warm, sheltered environment with protection from most types of predators. Our own range of wooden bird nest boxes have been custom designed and manufactured from substantial 2cm thick FSC-certified wood, are available with either a 25mm or 32mm entrance hole and can be expected to last for 5–10 years.

Discovery Plastic Window Seed Feeder

The Discovery Plastic Window Seed Feeder is ideal for those with small gardens or balconies and who are new to bird feeding. It has two feeding ports with ring perches to allow the birds to feed in a natural position and the high-suction pads securely fix the feeder to glass which offers a fantastic way to watch garden birds up close.

Hawke Optics Nature-Trek Binoculars

The Hawke Optics Nature-Trek Binoculars are great value and ideal for fieldwork. They have a shock-resistant polycarbonate body, making them robust yet lightweight, and are waterproof and fog-free. The inner-focus optical design and BAK 4 roof prism produces high resolution images and ensures no detail is lost when viewing at long or short distances, while they also have effortless focusing and impressive depth of field which makes these binoculars quick and easy to use.

Kite Ursus Binoculars

The Kite Ursus binoculars are an easy to use, entry-level pair of binoculars with all-round performance. They have been designed for everyday use and have a robust, fully waterproof housing, rubber touch points, and are lightweight and well balanced with a short hinge and a large ribbed focus wheel so changing focus is easy. As with other Kite binoculars, the Ursus also have a great field of view and, combined with their image quality, this makes them great for panning while watching fast moving subjects.

GPO PASSION 10×32 ED Binoculars

These binoculars combine a sleek design with high-quality features, including a Schmidt-Pechan prism, 10× magnification, ED multi-coated lenses and matched optics, which deliver exceptional clarity and colour transmission. They also offer a wide field of view, high edge-to-edge sharpness and a close minimum focus, which makes them unique among models in this price range, and come in five colours: green, brown, black, sand and orange.

Conservation volunteering at Proper Job Community Re-use Centre

One of the perks of working for NHBS is spending a few days per year volunteering for any organisation that works for the benefit of the environment. This November, I chose to venture out to a special place that ticks that box with a passion.

Proper Job helps their community recycle and re-use a huge amount of items for the home.

Proper Job in Chagford, Devon, is a registered charity that aims to protect and preserve the environment by promoting waste reduction, re-use and recycling. Its roots wriggle all the way back to 1993 when a group of environmentally conscious allotment holders launched a community composting project. They had noticed how much reusable, recyclable and compostable material was being dumped in the rural skip and started collecting anything that could be reused or recycled. In 1995, this resulted in the founding of a community business that was committed to principles of sustainability and the creation of jobs.

Fast forward to 2023, Proper Job continues to develop its operations and mission on a sizeable site, just outside Chagford. Proper Job now runs a treasure trove of pre-loved items: household products, media, building materials, clothing, tools, furniture, electrics. And, of course, the compost heap is still well alive… literally. Proper Job is closely involved with the community. Not only through opening the “Uptown” shop in the heart of Chagford town, it also liaises with other local organisations. Throughout the year Proper Job hosts affordable or free workshops, talks and community events in a bid to educate the public about the need for reducing waste and how to achieve this.

Helping out for a day at the Proper Job Resource Centre gave me a great chance to talk to staff and volunteers. I learned about how the site operates and its interaction with the public. I heard how the times have their signs, such as the challenges and aftermath of Covid, and how nowadays the rising costs of living seem to be leading to a greater share of customers with relatively higher income.

Proper Job’s strategic aims include four key terms: waste reduction, education, conservation, and community. These ethical values are of course all interlinked and it is commendable how Proper Job puts its energy in all these aspects. I certainly felt that the people I worked with during my day at Proper Job hold these values at heart. Nearly three decades of ongoing graft and development of this project bear testimony to the dedication of volunteers, staff and the support by the community. It’s a hopeful awareness.

Proper Job helps to make Christmas less wasteful and more affordable.

Learn more about Proper Job via their website or follow them on Facebook, Instagram and X.

NHBS staff picks 2023

Every year at NHBS we see a huge range of books and equipment travel through our offices and warehouse, via desks and bookshelves, finally leaving us in packages on their way to our valued customers. Invariably, we end up purchasing a number of these for ourselves, and others become gifts for our friends and families. This year, for our staff picks roundup, we have chosen the books and equipment items that we’re hoping to gift to our loved ones this Christmas.

Blue Machine: How the Ocean Shapes Our World

An engrossing odyssey into oceanography that reveals a fascinating planetary engine. Equal parts physical oceanography, marine biology, and science history, topped off with human-interest stories, Czerski has written a captivating book that oozes lyricism in places.
– Leon Vlieger, Catalogue Editor

NHBS Kent Bat Box

New for 2023, the NHBS Kent Bat box is based on the proven and popular design from the Kent Bat Group. Made from untreated rough-sawn Douglas Fir, the box is self-cleaning, easy to install and reasonably priced, making it an ideal gift for the bat enthusiast in your life.
– Johnny Mitchell, Senior Wildlife Equipment Specialist

The Book of Wilding: A Practical Guide to Rewilding Big and Small

An attractive, practical and inspiring guide that not only illuminates the greater need for wilding in the larger landscape, but also some really thoughtful ways people can engage on smaller scales. It’s hopeful too, which makes a good gift I always think!
– Oli Haines, Graphic Designer

Echo Meter Touch 2

A fantastic gift for someone with an interest in bats. To set it up, simply plug it into your phone and start recording. It converts the ultrasonic sounds from the bats into audible noises and auto-identifies the species you are listening to.
– Samuel Brook, Technical Advisor

Antarctica: A Birds-eye View

A beautiful coffee table book which I would like for myself or my photographer friends. A book that gives you an insight into a threatened world from a view you wouldn’t normally see. Both beautiful and barren, the images create a feeling of being there with the nature and environment that is threatened and disappearing fast.
– Simon Palmer, Technical Advisor

Dinosaur Monopoly

I bought this for my son as a present last year as he is obsessed with Monopoly and dinosaurs. It was such a hit, my youngest son asked for it this year. It is a great alternative to traditional Monopoly and we loved the dinosaur pieces .
– Mark Fisher, Product and Purchasing Manager

The Observant Walker: Wild Food, Nature and Hidden Treasures on the Pathways of Britain

It is always a pleasure to gift someone a book that you have previously delighted in reading yourself. The Observant Walker for me is one such book. Written in John Wright’s wonderfully conversational style, the book is both informative and witty; the perfect choice for anyone who loves nature and discovering its edible bounties.
– Luanne Wilkes, Senior Editor

Digi-Scope Smartphone Adapter

Really useful for anyone who wants to try taking pictures while they’re out exploring nature with their binoculars and want to quickly be able to take pictures of what they’re seeing through the binoculars. I use mine regularly and it’s helped me get some great images. It’s also really easy to use and a great addition to any hiking kit!
– Adam Hampton, Technical Advisor

Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds (The Illustrated Edition)

This book includes an absolutely stunning collection of photographs that show the incredible detail, vibrant colours and sometimes strange features of many different types of fungi. I really love how the photographs zoom in on this often overlooked lifeform that is so difficult to appreciate fully with the naked eye.
– Jo Graeser, Marketing Assistant

Browning Recon Force Elite HP5

I installed the Browning Recon Force Elite HP5 wildlife camera on a tree in our orchard AND WE LOVE IT! It shoots both stills and video, but my absolute favourite setting is the moving image function, especially paired with the no-glow night vision LED light during the night.
– Sabine Lang, Customer Services Advisor

Hawke Digi-Scope Smart Phone Adapter

Getting into nature photography can be a daunting prospect. What camera do you buy? Which lenses do you choose, and what size should they be? How much should you spend? These are all questions that require a good bit of thought, and rightly so. However, what if you wanted to dip your toe in at the shallow end and use equipment that you may already have lying around to take decent photos at a fraction of the price? That’s precisely where the Hawke Digi-Scope Smart Phone Adapter comes in. I decided to put it to the test by taking images of local wildlife at a variety of ranges with two of Hawke’s spotting scopes and a pair of Kite binoculars. To do this, I used the Hawke Nature-Trek 20–60 × 80 and the Nature-Trek 13–39 × 56 scopes, and a pair of Kite Ursus 8 × 32 binoculars.

Hawke have established a name for themselves as producing reliable and rugged optics for the entry to mid-level markets and this optical adapter fits nicely into that niche, giving anyone with an optical device the option to transform their optics into a camera lens, when combined with a smartphone camera.

Out of the box – first impressions

The adapter comes packaged with a small instruction manual and some small foam sticky pads to place around the aperture clamp and prevent damage to the ocular lens of the optics you are using. Made from lightweight ABS plastic, the adapter feels light in the hand but not fragile. Stated compatibility on the box is for eyepieces 23–50mm in diameter, so make sure that the optics you plan to use meet these specifications. There is also a minimum and maximum size for compatible phones (width 66–95mm), but most currently produced models should fit fine.

Ease of use

The adapter is a simple piece of kit that is designed to fit around the ocular lens of a spotting scope, microscope, telescope or, most commonly, a pair of binoculars. The spring-loaded clamp then allows you to place your phones rear camera to the eyepiece and align them, in essence creating an inexpensive camera and physical lens arrangement. This will then allow your smartphone to take photos at ranges that the vast majority of devices on the market wouldn’t be capable of. Getting this alignment right can be quite fiddly but once found, the adapter holds fast, and the point of focus doesn’t drift. It’s important to try to remember to reduce/disable the auto focussing on the device as this can be at odds with the manual focus of the scope itself. Likewise, make sure to zoom the phone camera slightly to avoid giving a ‘scoped’ view to your photos, with a circular black border (see below).

In the field

Testing the adapter involved setting it up on the window ledge of a bird hide and using it while combing along the River Dart, allowing tests over variable distances to look and capture at different focus points and ranges. I often found that target acquisition with the scopes was a bit of a lesson in trial and error as any hand movement through high magnification lenses will be exacerbated massively through the screen. However, this will be greatly reduced by using a lesser magnification or a stabilising structure such as a tripod (or a handy fence post). The use of a phone in this case proved crucial as the post- processing from the device helped to mute the amount of disturbance to the final image from this unavoidable shaking. While there was some aberration introduced to the final photos, it didn’t mar the result too much or overly distract from the images (see below).

Using the adapter with a pair of binoculars was where the Hawke Digi-Scope really shone. Quick to acquire and quick to capture, the photos produced were, in my opinion, superb, making this an ideal tool for an enthusiast beginning their journey into nature photography. (see images below)

While the adapter itself is a lightweight bit of kit, whatever you mount within it will add weight to the back of your optics and upset any built-in centre of balance – much as I found out when, after attaching the phone, the scope made a determined attempt at see-sawing off the bird-hide window ledge. When not attached to the optics, however, the adapter is small and portable, fitting easily into a pocket without any discernible bulk or weight.

Taking pictures with the adapter was as simple as hitting the camera button on the phone and snapping away, making sure to adjust the focus using the scope/binoculars as needed (this took a bit of practice to get used to). I didn’t manage to get any images of animals moving at great speed (something a dedicated nature photography camera would have no issues doing) while using the scopes, as acquiring and holding onto the target while also focusing using the scope lent itself to more stationary birds (see image 9). The binoculars, on the other hand, were great for reactive type photography, albeit at much reduced ranges (e.g. image 10).

Photograph of a brown duck standing on one leg scratching the underside of its wing with its beak stood on a log taken through a lens. — Image 9

Motion photograph of a crow taking off in flight from a patch of grass scattered in autumn leaves. — Image 10

Conclusions

While using the Hawke Digi-Scope, it is important to remember that the phone you use, the post processing that it does, and the settings you enable will all modulate the end result in some way, and this is an unavoidable part of using your phone to take images with a non-attached magnification device. Unlike an expensive camera with light meters and other tools, this setup will never quite produce a true to life image with no introduced imperfections.

In terms of optics, the scopes performed well and were great in their own right; however, both the models I used were technically 1–2mm over the maximum specified eyepiece diameter. This was surprising as the mount seemed to fit fine (a little snug if anything), but also surprising as it begs the question as to why this adapter doesn’t fit the full range of Hawke products. This was not an issue with the binoculars as they have a much smaller ocular aperture.

It is just as important to stress this wasn’t a test of the optics used but rather the adapter itself and, in that role, it performed very well. It held the phone securely and the rubberised touch points prevented slippage, keeping both the scope and phone lenses aligned. But, as stated before, this was a bit of a fiddly procedure.

I do think that this adapter helps to bridge the gap between the more professional nature photography market and the more casual enthusiast who wishes to go and get some decent photos of what’s living in the area around them, and it will help to extend the reach of the average person’s smartphone camera by quite a distance. The speed of setup and lack of any frills really helps to make this adapter a portable, reliable workhorse or a spur of the moment image capturing tool. If you’re looking for an inexpensive bit of kit to add to your usual birding/hiking/survey gear alongside your pick of optics, this is the adapter for you.

The Hawke Digi-Scope Smart Phone Adapter is available at www.nhbs.com/digi-scope