Meet the bird that goes “ping!” That’s the perky bearded reedling, a softbill that’s gained a bigger fan club in recent years. Inevitably, our enterprising contributor Oliver Crowther has decided this year to enrol in the reedling club. He’s acquired a pair and furnished them with superb accommodation. Now all they’ve got to do is breed – but there’s a twist: both are 2024-bred, and bumps in the road can be expected with such a callow couple… Another bold fancier is confident Kelly Scurfield, who has “dived in” (her words) to colour budgies and already has lots of prize booty to show for it. We meet her. We also hear about two special events, one future (the Tropical Bird Show next month) and one past (the Wildfest this spring). It’s Border Bulletin time, too, and we have extras on the riveting redstart and the phaeo Barbary dove. A bumper summer read.

Meet the bird that goes “ping!” That’s the perky bearded reedling, a softbill that’s gained a bigger fan club in recent years. Inevitably, our enterprising contributor Oliver Crowther has decided this year to enrol in the reedling club. He’s acquired a pair and furnished them with superb accommodation. Now all they’ve got to do is breed – b....