With winter drawing in, it's time to consider a good book to read. Nick Martin gives his favourite wildlife books and passes on recommendations of other nature enthusiasts. (main image, Abby Martin)

After spending a lot of money on expensive equipment, whether it be binoculars, telescope or camera lenses, you want to get the best performance from them. Lee Copplestone explains why and how to keep optics clean. (title image by Oliver Smart)

In the past it was just peanuts and breadcrumbs but now we have a myriad of different bird foods to choose from. In this guide we’ll sort the wheat from the chaff and derive which nuts and seeds attract which species.

When it comes to binoculars there is a wide array of choice and for all budgets but here we try to explain what are the main considerations for choosing a pair for birdwatching. 

Versatile, compact and cheap; bean bags provide a multi-function support for you and your photographic gear. Award winning wildlife photographer Oliver Smart tells us more.