Wildlife magazines

[canonman]

The British wildlife magazine, does anyone subscribe to it and is it any good.
I have seen it on the web site but have never had the opportunity to read one.
It looks very good but looks can be deceiving
Would be interested if it proved to be interesting not just like a readers digest book
British Wildlife:the magazine that provides top quality coverage of all aspects of British Wildlife and nature conservation
If not this magazine anyone suggest a better one to get
Mick

[matt_xyz]

I don't know that magazine Mick, but I can thoroughly recommend BBC Wildlife magazine. I've been a subscriber for some years.

Matt

[badgerwatcher]

I've been trying to find a good wildlife magazine to subscribe to, so I will await people's reccomendations. I'll have a look at these two, thank you.

[speckled wood]

I am not sure that I would be tempted to subscribe to any wildlife magazines, maybe browse and purchase if there is something of interest. To me too many of the magazines are designed more for the coffee table than for the real naturalist. Reading what that Magazine claims >>>>

British Wildlife:the magazine that provides top quality coverage of all aspects of British Wildlife and nature conservation

<<<<

I would rather spend the subscription amount on a couple of reference books. These are far more likely to be of use in helping you identify what you see. Many none wildlife magazines are worth a quick look at, both Waterways World and Canal Boat have regular and well written articles about wildlife to be found alongside our canals and rivers.

[Dan Salter]

I think it depends where you interest lies?

I really rate the BRITISH WILDLIFE journal...we have it the library at uni....i am going to subscribe though and i would like to collect all the back issues....its a small format but very thick, bound edged mag with heaps of writing as well as great pics....a lot more in depth and serious than bbc WILDLIFE. I only wish it was monthly but sadly you only get 6 issues a year although it would take me a month to read through an entire issue?

I starting buying the BBC wildlife mag at the start of this summer but i found only 10% of each issue was of interest to me ( British and european wildlife) there is too much of the "Usual suspects" in there for me? the panda's, tigers, orangutangs of the world who get more than their fare share of coverage on tv ( that stupid EXTINCT program?) and in all the other mags, nat geo, geographical etc etc I wish BBC wildlife was about good old british wildlife as is the good old british bbc? ...So i no longer buy WILDLIFE mag im afraid.

One of my little GEMS that im forever telling people about but no one seems to listen is "COUNTRYMAN" magazine....its a tiny little monthly affair and it is sooo adorable, full of british wildlife, farming, rural ways and countryside history !! my mum is hooked on it now too.

[badgerwatcher]

I agree with you, Speckled Wood, that so many are 'coffee table' mags!
That's what I'm trying to avoid.
I'll look for Countryman, Dan. Thanks

[Pete]

I wouldn't describe British Wildlife as a "coffee table" publication. Its a lot more serious than BBC Wildlife. I doubt libraries stock it but might be worth contacting them to find out if there is somewhere you can see a copy...... maybe someone with a scanner can put up sample pages.

I can't say I read it cover to cover BUT it does contain some excellent articles. There was an excellent one on the wildlife of Wimpole Hall recently.

[Billy Wobble Dagger]

I don't subscribe to any of the wildlife mags, but on a daily bases I check H a b i t a t - Daily wildlife and environment news from the British Isles. This web site, like WAB seems a very well kept secret, it takes all the wildlife headlines and press releases from the UK and some world news as well, and then links them to the full story from which ever publication. It’s updated every day, so you are kept right up to date with all the wildlife news. Well worth adding to your favorites list.

BWD

[RobSutton]

Originally Posted by speckled wood

I am not sure that I would be tempted to subscribe to any wildlife magazines, maybe browse and purchase if there is something of interest. To me too many of the magazines are designed more for the coffee table than for the real naturalist. Reading what that Magazine claims >>>>

British Wildlife:the magazine that provides top quality coverage of all aspects of British Wildlife and nature conservation

<<<<

I would rather spend the subscription amount on a couple of reference books. These are far more likely to be of use in helping you identify what you see. Many none wildlife magazines are worth a quick look at, both Waterways World and Canal Boat have regular and well written articles about wildlife to be found alongside our canals and rivers.

British Wildlife is well worth it and does all that the blurb says and more. You'ld have to buy a lot of books to cover the range that it covers. Some ID a lot more besides and it most certainly isn't a coffe table publication. They used to do free specimen copies for people not sure about subscribing or go and find it in a library.

[badgerwatcher]

Heh, BWD, what a great site! I've just managed to tear myself away. Thanks for the link!

[Wild-Woman]

Originally Posted by Pete

I wouldn't describe British Wildlife as a "coffee table" publication. Its a lot more serious than BBC Wildlife. I doubt libraries stock it but might be worth contacting them to find out if there is somewhere you can see a copy...... maybe someone with a scanner can put up sample pages.

I can't say I read it cover to cover BUT it does contain some excellent articles. There was an excellent one on the wildlife of Wimpole Hall recently.

I subscribe to British Wildlife magazine and wouldn't be without it.The articles are excellent and the wildlife reports very informative. It has up to date book reviews too. It has limited adverts, which I prefer as I hate mags that are swamped with them.
I'd give it 10/10
julie

[paul24]

I also subscribe to 'The Countryman', and Agree with Dan Salter it is a gem.
Well worth a read.

[Beryl]

I also get the 'BBC Wildlife'.
Very good magazine. I think it is the best

[Billy Wobble Dagger]

Originally Posted by badgerwatcher

Heh, BWD, what a great site! I've just managed to tear myself away. Thanks for the link!

I said it was a well kept secret, watch out for the eagle owl.

[badgerwatcher]

/it's behind you....

[Paul mabbott]

I agree British Wildlife is a must. Doesn't deal with the common things so no infinite reprocessing of pictures of blue tits, foxes and 7-spot ladybirds ... sometimes there's nothing of personal interest (to me) but always something that I've never even considered. Along with funny bits, notes of political and legal activity, and summaries of seasonal activity for many animal/plant groups.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is the publications by natural history societies. Most of these publish annual journals full of detailed, often specialised, papers which give the real information about what is happening in your area but some societies produce lighter monthly/bi-monthly newsletters which contain a fascinating wealth of material which is relevant to the local area. These come free with membership of your local Natural History Society. I would, of course (), recommend the Essex Field Club, London Natural History Society (both of which produce newsletters with excellent colour photos) and the Sorby NHS.
So, join your local NHS and support their wider activity but also get a regular, informative newsletter.

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

I subscribe to British Wildlife magazine and wouldn't be without it.The articles are excellent and the wildlife reports very informative. It has up to date book reviews too. It has limited adverts, which I prefer as I hate mags that are swamped with them.
I'd give it 10/10
julie

[Paul mabbott]

I've disagreed in another mail but might clarify. British Wildlife has some very interesting papers which include keys for various obscure groups of invertebrates and plants which would make it worth the buy for anyone interested in these things. These are keys which just aren't available elsewhere. So yes, reference books are the basics but British Wildlife helps to fill in some gaps.
It does also deal with conservation issues in ways which no other journal or website does.
Cheers, Paul

Originally Posted by speckled wood

............. many of the magazines are designed more for the coffee table than for the real naturalist. Reading what that Magazine claims >>>>

British Wildlife:the magazine that provides top quality coverage of all aspects of British Wildlife and nature conservation

I would rather spend the subscription amount on a couple of reference books. These are far more likely to be of use in helping you identify what you see. Many none wildlife magazines are worth a quick look at, both Waterways World and Canal Boat have regular and well written articles about wildlife to be found alongside our canals and rivers.

[nightshade]

Join the Wildlife Trust,RSPB,The Woodland trust Wetlands Trust or any combination,
Free magazines and the money is put to good use,buy field guides for the coffee table
you can take those with you

[aeshna5]

British Wildlife is a superb magazine aimed at the keeen amateur naturalist + professional ecologists- it is readable, yet scientifically robust with some humour thrown in. I particularly enjoy the taxa summaries- some such as birds, mammals, butterflies are covered in each, whereas Orthoptera every other issue.

Not every article is of interest to me, but I read most. In current issue is a fascinating piece on woodmulch fungi- many not previously recorded here, but now turning up in all sorts of places + some not in the raved about Phillips!

I also take BBC Wildlife, though target audience is more general, I still enjoy it. As well as numerous wildlife society mags, also get Atropos (Lepidoptera/Odonata), British Birds, Birding World + Birdwatch too. Trouble is finding time to read everything!

If I was restricted to just one mag though, it would be British Wildlife!