Wild Things columnist Eric Brown discovers a threat to the survival of his favourite annual wildlife publication and learns talks are close to ensuring its survival.

Each day I reach for my copy of The Birdwatcher's Yearbook without a second thought. It is the only wildlife book I use every single day of the year to enter records of birds and butterflies seen from my house or on trips. I also record sightings of any dragonflies I can identify.

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This book has offered me vital storage for my sightings records over more than 25 years so I was aghast to learn that editor Neil Gartshore planned retirement and if no successor could be found he would reluctantly cease publication after next year's 45th edition. Before I had time to dwell on this, however, came more positive news from Neil. He is confident negotiations with an interested party will lead to agreement for continued publication by the end of this year. One of the new editor's first tasks will surely be to update page 173 where the 2025 Yearbook entry for Rye Harbour Nature Reserve reads: "New Discovery Centre is due for completion early 2020." The book's survival is nearly as important as some of the other threatened species I have recorded in it over the years.

Unofficially known as the birdwatcher's bible, the Yearbook for 2025 offers its usual indispensable mix of diary, latest checklists for British birds, butterflies and dragonflies, a directory to 380 wildlife reserve, features including best bird books of the year and bird news, tide tables and contact details for important wildlife organisations from optical equipment companies, holiday companies, clothing suppliers and booksellers to international, national and local wildlife organisations. Basically, if you are a wildlife enthusiast and the fact you need is absent then it's probably not worth knowing. The book flourished under Neil who has worked in conservation since he was 20, mainly on protecting seabirds on islands both in the UK and abroad.

The yearbook was the brainchild of John Pemberton who started the series in 1981 and continued until the 21st edition in 2001, publishing as Buckingham Press.

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Buckingham Press was sold to David and Hilary Cromack who published the 2002-2015 editions before passing the Yearbook title on to Neil Gartshore in 2015 (starting with the 2016 edition). Neil, publishing as Calluna Books, has now completed the 2025 edition (the 45th in the series).

Neil moved from Dorset to Northumberland at the end of 2023 with a view to winding down into semi-retirement and decided the 2025 edition, his 10th, would be his last.

There were two options - find someone to take it over or wind the series up. Now steps are in hand to pass on the Yearbook to its fourth owner from the 2026 edition - possibly by the year's end.

The cover price remains this year at £24 but to purchase a copy of the 2025 edition direct from the publisher the price is £22 including second class postage:

Online via: www.callunabooks.co.uk

By card, phone: 07986 434 375

By cheque (payable to Calluna Books), send to: Neil Gartshore, Calluna Books, 11 Cheviot Close, Ellington, Morpeth, Northumberland NE61 5HZ