RSPB: Nature Guide

About Mike Unwin

Mike Unwin is a freelance writer, editor and illustrator with 12 years' experience in natural history publishing. In 2000 he won the BBC Wildlife travel-writing competition. His children's titles include the bestselling RSPB My First Book of Garden Birds.

Q & A with Mike Unwin

What is your favourite species of bird, and what are its characteristics?
If pressed, I’d have to say Sparrowhawk (with apologies to Dipper, Barn Owl and Black-throated Diver). This dashing bird was hard to find when I was starting birding, even though my bird books described it as ‘common’. Now it seems to be everywhere — yet a sighting always takes me by surprise. Usually it’s just a glimpse of wings and tail, so getting a good look at that fierce glare and those delicate markings is always a thrill. Some misguided people claim that Sparrowhawks need to be ‘controlled’. This just makes me like them even more!
 
Outside the UK, my favourite bird is probably the Purple-crested Lourie (the national bird of Swaziland, where I once lived). It bounds through the branches, flashing its scarlet wings, and calling raucously from the treetops. A real character.
 
Where is your favourite birding destination and why?
Favourite childhood haunts hold special memories. These include Thursley Common in Surrey, great for Hobbies, Woodlarks and Dartford Warblers, and Pagham Harbour in Sussex, where I first got to grips with winter waders. I’m also very fond of two RSPB reserves where I was once a volunteer warden — Arne, in Dorset, and Titchwell, in Norfolk — and still feel that the birds know me there! These days though, the northwest coast of Scotland gets my number one vote. Not the biggest variety of birds, but some special species, lots of other great wildlife and the most beautiful backdrop in Britain.
 
I visited many wonderful birding places while living in Africa. One of my favourites is the Kalahari Trasnfrontier Park — in South Africa and Botswana. I love all the dry country species there, such as coursers, sandgrouse and bustards. It’s also fantastic for birds of prey, and the camps are full of good stuff — from enormous sociable weaver nests to roosting owls.
 
How did you first become interested in birds and how long have you been a birder?
Birds have been a passion for as long as I can remember. I was certainly already hooked by the age of six (when I remember seeing a Golden Eagle on a family holiday to Scotland). Of course it helped that my family were keen, so we had bird books in the house, fed birds in the garden and looked out for birds on holiday. And my granny gave me her old binoculars, which lasted me for years (though only one eyepiece worked). For me, birds always went hand in hand with drawing — I wanted to draw whatever I saw, and wanted to see whatever I drew. And it’s not only birds: I like all other wildlife too, especially snakes and cats.