James Aldred’s Goshawk Summer recounts a summer of lockdown spent filming the birds of prey to the backdrop of less noise pollution and fewer human disruptions. A deserted forest meant a unique and magical opportunity for the wildlife photographer. Here he lists his top five books on wildlife photography.
01 The Goshawk by Robert Kenward (T & AD Poyser)
The ultimate monograph on the natural history of the Goshawk. Packed with wonderful insights into their behaviour, peppered with engaging field notes. The first stop for anyone interested in these birds.
02 Trees of Britain by Alan Mitchell (Collins)
Mitchell is the grandfather of all things tree in Britain and this gem lists most of our oldest and most impressive specimens. Also includes detailed notes on where to find them in both urban and rural settings. The ultimate tree guide.
03 Deer of Britain and Ireland by Peter Carne (Swan Hill Press)
This covers the history and distribution of every deer currently living wild in our isles, native and introduced. Full of useful details about where they are and what they get up to at different times of the year, it’s an invaluable source of obscure but extremely useful information.
04 The Otter by James Williams (Merlin Unwin Books)
What Williams – chairman of the Somerset Wildlife Trust’s otter group – didn’t know about otters isn’t worth knowing. This is the go-to text for anyone curious about one of our most elusive and magical wild creatures. The lowland English otter is a very different thing to their more easily seen Scottish coastal-living relative; this book will help you find them yourself.
05 Running with the Fox by David Macdonald (Unwin Hyman)
Packed full of solid scientific fact, wrapped in highly engaging and accessible text. A good narrative ensures that learning in-depth foxy facts remains effortless and fun.
