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John Busby's observation that 'there are more shapes of blackbird than species of thrush' encapsulates the premise of this guide to observing birds with a curious mind – a process that goes far beyond identification. Paired with insightful commentary and demonstrating that an individual specimen rarely conforms to its image as presented in field guides, his pencil and watercolour wash sketches capture birds at different times of day, in flight, at rest and as they preen, stretch, hunt and dive.

A founder member of the Society of Wildlife Artists and author of the Poyser monograph The Hen Harrier, Donald Watson (1918–2005) presents a collection of his bird paintings, mostly of harriers, but also of species associated with them, including merlins, black grouse and stonechats, all set in their natural landscapes. The reproductions are accompanied by Watson’s engaging personal observations and ornithological information about the various species of harrier – in Britain and abroad – and their habits and habitats. Slightly off-mint.

In this volume, illustrated with examples of her work, Lisa Hooper encourages the use of nature as a source of inspiration for printmaking and demonstrates a range of printing techniques. An introductory chapter explains how to combine elements of character, light, form and place to design a wildlife print; other topics covered include etching, collagraph, woodblock printing and monotypes.

Slightly off-mint.

Slightly off-mint.

Charles Darwin was fascinated by the way the flowers of orchids had evolved to attract specific insects. Noting the very long spur of Angraecum sesquipedale, he predicted that it could only be fertilized by a moth with a 35cm tongue, a statement that was ridiculed until such a species was discovered after his death. This limited edition facsimile of his seminal 1862 book on the subject is bound in cloth using traditional methods. Slightly off-mint.

After chapters dealing with habitats, conservation and birding locations on the Maltese Islands, this guide presents 130 species accounts, each illustrated with a large colour photograph, followed by a complete species list.

Few creatures can be more emblematic of the Scottish Highlands than the golden eagle, and to catch a glimpse of this magnificent bird is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. This book recounts many such encounters over many years. The evocative text and superb colour photographs capture the sights, the sounds and the very texture of the Highlands, as well as the life, the habits and the prey of this mighty raptor.

A mysterious decline in the populations of albatrosses and other seabirds nesting in remote locations in the Southern Ocean has been attributed to their ensnarement in the tackle of long-line fishing vessels. Artist Bruce Pearson highlights the problem in this portfolio, which includes his paintings and sketches made in South Georgia in the 1970s as well as recent paintings and drawings of southern seabirds and the fishing trade that threatens their survival.

Horus is born high up on the Houses of Parliament, and takes his fledgling flights over London, where peregrines are a protected species – by hunting pigeons, they help humans to control their numbers.

After hitching a ride home on a cross-Channel ferry, Gowk finds a mate who deposits their egg in a reed-warbler nest. As Gowk returns across the Channel, the warbler raises his chick.

This inspiring collection of paintings, drawings and writings by artist John Threlfall captures a journey along Britain’s coast, from sandy beaches and sea cliffs in the north, to rocky shores and estuaries in the south. Threlfall’s fascination with the shoreline, its shifting colours and dramatic forms, is outdone only by his attraction to its wildlife: seals, sanderlings, guillemots and curlews are some of the fauna that provide the focal point for his beautiful artwork.

Not only can one find the greatest variety of bird species in Norfolk as well as view spectacular mass migrations, but it is also one of the best spots to find rare birds and infrequent visitors to Britain. This celebration of the county’s avian scene offers research and statistics about the different types of habitats and the resident and visiting bird populations of each, together with almost 200 atmospheric watercolour illustrations by James McCallum.