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Goshawks: The birds of prey that came back from extinction
By the late 19th century, the goshawk was indisputably extinct, but their recent restoration to the British isles makes it worth exploring their history. Expert naturalist Mark Cocker tells more about this fascinating bird of prey.
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Ospreys: The bird that went extinct in Britain for 40 years, and its journey to conservation success story
Once extinct in these isles, the gargantuan, deep-diving osprey locks onto its piscine prey with a laser-like precision akin to the trajectory of a blunt-tipped missile. Naturalist and author Mark Cocker tells more.
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'A robin redbreast in a cage puts all Heaven in a rage': Why this charming little bird is the nation's favourite
We’re more emotionally connected to the robin than any other bird, says Mark Cocker, as he considers why we feel so much affection for this sweet-songed, yet feisty Christmas-card favourite.
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'I could see puffs of condensed breath as he sang. Suddenly, the world felt fine': The wren, a little mite with a mighty heart
Shy yet bold, furtive yet fearless and fond of nesting in your trousers, the tiny ‘Jenny wren’ has a lusty voice that matches its sense of adventure.
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Spheres with tails: our enduring love affair with the thrush
These round songbirds have inspired not only some of our best poets, but have also sewn the seeds of the countryside around us.
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'There is no acceptable level of peat for use in horticulture' say campaigners amid call for total ban on peat sales
Peat bogs sequester huge amounts of carbon — yet peat is still being cut and sold across Britain. It's time for that to stop for good, say campaigners.
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Britain has 763 different types of moss — and they're varied, distinctive and strikingly beautiful
As special as orchids, as beautiful as bluebells and as important as oaks, our ground-hugging mosses are worth a look down, says naturalist and author Mark Cocker.
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Waxwings: The winter visitors which come to Britain so rarely they may never see a human again
Once thought to have presaged the First World War, these exquisite European songbirds are a blessing to our shores, says Mark Cocker.
