We’re delighted to say that the annual Bird Report for 2008 is now available. The eye-catching colour front cover this year is of a juvenile Cuckoo, a particularly charismatic bird. The 184 pages of text include 12 maps, charts and graphs, and 9 beautiful illustrations from two different artists. As usual, the colour map of the county forms the centre spread of the Report. A total of 23 colour photographs, which best capture some of the highlights of the year, are spread over seven full pages. As usual, this year’s Bird Report is full of interesting articles. None more so than Gulls at Moore and Richmond Bank- this surely is bird reporting at its best. Other articles include the account of the Black-winged Stilts which attempted to breed in the county for the first time; a White-throated Sparrow at Helsby that nearly ‘got away’; some particularly fascinating behaviour of overwintering Bitterns at Moore; a review of Cattle Egrets in the county; a look back at Sandbach Flashes where an incredible 40 species of wader have been recorded there; whilst another article recalls the excitement of finding the county’s 15th Rough-legged Buzzard on Wirral. Finally, the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) highlights and lowlights spanning the period 1994-2008 are listed.

All the ‘regulars’ are there: ‘Weather and Bird Review of the Year’; the full ‘Systematic List of Birds Recorded in Cheshire and Wirral during 2008’,including ‘Category E Species’; ‘Early and Late Dates for Migrants’; ‘BBRC and County Rarities Decisions’; ‘Ringing Report’; ‘Chairman’s Review’;‘Database Statistics for 2008’ and finally, advice on the ‘Submission of Records’.

Last, but not least, we have again included a Species Index at the back to help you quickly look up your favourite species. This will be particularly useful to those not familiar with the new Systematic List order now adopted.

The Bird Report costs £7.50 + £1.30 p&p and copies are available from: