The bittern is back

Just in case you missed yesterday's flurry of news stories about the remarkable comeback of the bittern, a bird declared extinct in 1880, here's a round-up of links:

• Shy bittern makes home on estate [BBC News]

• Bitterns boom after conservation success [The Guardian]

• Rare bird spotted breeding in Suffolk fens [Lowestoft Journal]

• Increase for the UK's most threatened bird [Country Life]

• Leading article: boom at the top [The Independent]

• Booming bird that's back from the dead [Daily Express]

I write about birds!!!!!!!!

I have a lot of bother explaining to people what exactly my job entails. Last night was a prime example of this. I met a guy who asked what I do for a living. "I'm a journalist," I replied. "I work for a magazine publishing company." "Oh, that's great," he said. "What kind of things do you write about?" "I write about birds," I said. "Birds? What, like FHM or Nuts or something?" "No, not those kind of birds," I said. "I write about proper birds." "Oh, proper birds. So, Esquire or Arena then?" "Emm, no," I said. "I write about proper, proper birds." I started flapping my arms and whistling. At this point, he left to talk to someone else. Where am I going wrong?!

What's on this week

EVENT: Breakfast with the Birds WHEN: Saturday April 11, 7.30am WHERE: Birkenhead Park, The Wirral, Merseyside - meet by the Swiss Bridge. WHAT'S IT ABOUT: An early morning ranger-led walk around the Victorian park looking a various nesting birds and new arrivals. You can also have breakfast at the Cappucinos cafe. Booking essential. TO FIND OUT MORE: Ring the visitor centre, tel: 0151 652 5197 or see www.wirral.gov.uk/news

Editor's letter (Jan 29 issue)

Could it be that after a rather traumatic year on the British bird scene, things are bouncing back for the better?

You only have to look at recent shows in Northern Ireland to see how popular British birds have become. According to our Ulster-based correspondent, John Hartin, the province is experiencing a bit of a boom on the show bench with the largest entry of British birds at CBS shows ever recorded this past season.

Numbers seem to be on the upswing in England too, with the number of birds benched at the recent Staffordshire BB&MC up slightly on last year’s figure of 490. Some 160 of these birds were benched by members of an online forum (the British Birds in Aviculture website) which just goes to prove how modern technology can help fuel interest in birdkeeping.

It will be interesting to see how this weekend’s event hosted by the National British Bird and Mule Club at Stoke-on-Trent fairs. Will numbers be on the rise there, too?

So, if British bird keeping is on the ascent, perhaps more of you might be inclined to put pen to paper and share your birdkeeping experiences with like-minded people through our pages. I am always pleased to consider good articles about British birds for publication – and you don’t need to be the world’s best writer, as we’ll edit it to read correctly. If you’d like to submit something, or want to find out more, please contact me directly or write to our usual address.

Finally, we’re running a hot debate on British birds in our next issue, so why not let us know whether you agree with the statement that when it comes to keeping birds, native British is best? We’d love to hear your views!