Joe Harkness was a naturalist and writer from Norfolk. He wrote features for many publications, including The Guardian, iNews, BBC Wildlife, Birdwatching and Birdwatch. He also shared his passion for nature on television and radio, including BBC Winterwatch and BBC Radio 4. His first book, Bird Therapy, was longlisted for the Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing. His second narrative, Neurodivergent, by Nature, was shortlisted for the 2026 Wainwright Prize for Writing on Conservation and shortlisted for the 2025 East Anglian Book Awards in the General Non-fiction category.

‘Fabulously direct and truthful, filled with energy but devoid of self-pity … I was impressed and enchanted. Highly recommended.’

• Foreword by Chris PackhamPrologueChapter One – A breakdown, a buzzard and the BroadsChapter Two – A survey, a definition and the five ways to well-birdingChapter Three – A dunnock, a Pallas's Warbler and a multitude of patternsChapter Four – A pipit, a woodlark and an evening concertoChapter Five – A bittern, the binocular code and the art of finding raritiesChapter Six – An egret, a kingfisher and remembering to feed the birdsChapter Seven – A local patch, two diving ducks and a mountain blackbirdChapter Eight – A sea-duck flotilla, flock unity and the march of the fieldfareChapter Nine – Hirundine flocks, spring passage and the warbler diariesChapter Ten – The goldcrest crescendo, wind-flattened reeds and sixty pied flycatchersChapter Eleven – Running with nature, sea-smoothed shingle and a miracle cureChapter Twelve – Bramble patches, a garden warbler and learning through experienceChapter Thirteen – An evolving hobby, a return to the heath and going to back to basicsEpilogue – Nest building, gradual realisations and the noise behind the binocularsPractical Birdwatching TipsAcknowledgements

Joe Harkness was a naturalist and writer from Norfolk. He wrote features for many publications, including The Guardian, iNews, BBC Wildlife, Birdwatching and Birdwatch. He also shared his passion for nature on television and radio, including BBC Winterwatch and BBC Radio 4. His first book, Bird Therapy, was longlisted for the Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing. His second narrative, Neurodivergent, by Nature, was shortlisted for the 2026 Wainwright Prize for Writing on Conservation and shortlisted for the 2025 East Anglian Book Awards in the General Non-fiction category.

‘Fabulously direct and truthful, filled with energy but devoid of self-pity … I was impressed and enchanted. Highly recommended.’

• Foreword by Chris PackhamPrologueChapter One – A breakdown, a buzzard and the BroadsChapter Two – A survey, a definition and the five ways to well-birdingChapter Three – A dunnock, a Pallas's Warbler and a multitude of patternsChapter Four – A pipit, a woodlark and an evening concertoChapter Five – A bittern, the binocular code and the art of finding raritiesChapter Six – An egret, a kingfisher and remembering to feed the birdsChapter Seven – A local patch, two diving ducks and a mountain blackbirdChapter Eight – A sea-duck flotilla, flock unity and the march of the fieldfareChapter Nine – Hirundine flocks, spring passage and the warbler diariesChapter Ten – The goldcrest crescendo, wind-flattened reeds and sixty pied flycatchersChapter Eleven – Running with nature, sea-smoothed shingle and a miracle cureChapter Twelve – Bramble patches, a garden warbler and learning through experienceChapter Thirteen – An evolving hobby, a return to the heath and going to back to basicsEpilogue – Nest building, gradual realisations and the noise behind the binocularsPractical Birdwatching TipsAcknowledgements

Joe Harkness was a naturalist and writer from Norfolk. He wrote features for many publications, including The Guardian, iNews, BBC Wildlife, Birdwatching and Birdwatch. He also shared his passion for nature on television and radio, including BBC Winterwatch and BBC Radio 4. His first book, Bird Therapy, was longlisted for the Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing. His second narrative, Neurodivergent, by Nature, was shortlisted for the 2026 Wainwright Prize for Writing on Conservation and shortlisted for the 2025 East Anglian Book Awards in the General Non-fiction category.

‘Fabulously direct and truthful, filled with energy but devoid of self-pity … I was impressed and enchanted. Highly recommended.’

• Foreword by Chris PackhamPrologueChapter One – A breakdown, a buzzard and the BroadsChapter Two – A survey, a definition and the five ways to well-birdingChapter Three – A dunnock, a Pallas's Warbler and a multitude of patternsChapter Four – A pipit, a woodlark and an evening concertoChapter Five – A bittern, the binocular code and the art of finding raritiesChapter Six – An egret, a kingfisher and remembering to feed the birdsChapter Seven – A local patch, two diving ducks and a mountain blackbirdChapter Eight – A sea-duck flotilla, flock unity and the march of the fieldfareChapter Nine – Hirundine flocks, spring passage and the warbler diariesChapter Ten – The goldcrest crescendo, wind-flattened reeds and sixty pied flycatchersChapter Eleven – Running with nature, sea-smoothed shingle and a miracle cureChapter Twelve – Bramble patches, a garden warbler and learning through experienceChapter Thirteen – An evolving hobby, a return to the heath and going to back to basicsEpilogue – Nest building, gradual realisations and the noise behind the binocularsPractical Birdwatching TipsAcknowledgements