IT'S four years since Pete Hawkes and Matt Kirby teamed up to produce The Best of Chilterns Wildlife, but the little square book is still a marvellous introduction to the fascinating species that make the Chiltern Hills so very special.
IN FOCUS: The Best of Chilterns Wildlife
From badgers and bats to moorhens and moths, the book contains more than 150 photographs chronicling the most familiar flora and fauna of the area, along with a selection of rarer visitors – nearly all taken by enthusiasts while out and about exploring the local landscape.
It's not quite a spotter's guide, but the pocket-sized volume is divided into helpful sections which include mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, invertebrates, fish, plants, lichen, fungi, slugs and snails.
CHANGING SEASONS: harvest time PICTURE: Karen Woodward
Inspired by Matt Kirby's Chesham Wildlife facebook page, where for years local people have posted their nature photographs, the book contains a glorious cross-section of colour pictures and even includes some photographic advice from those fascinated by the challenges posed by different types of wildlife.
With more than 4,000 members and a focus on the 10-mile radius around Chesham, the group features daily posts exploring popular haunts from the Pednor Valley and Chartridge to the Chess Valley, Tring Reservoirs, Marlow and Ashridge estate.
GARDEN FAVOURITE: the chirpy robin PICTURE: Graham Parsons
From the glorious front-cover portrait of a brown hare captured by Ben Hartley to wasps and beetles, the book is not intended as a comprehensive guide, but captures a good range of the species which thrive in the different habitats in and around the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The AONB runs north-eastwards from Goring to Luton and Hitchin, encompassing the core circulation area of The Beyonder.
FISHING TRIP: an egret on the hunt for a meal PICTURE: Carol Scott
Amid the ancient beech woodland and rare chalk streams are a huge array of birds, for example, from woodpeckers, nuthatches and jays to egrets and owls, from kingfishers, kestrels and buzzards to the iconic red kite that has become such a familiar symbol of the region.
Short sections focus on some of the different habitats of the area, from hedgerows and rivers to chalk grassland and gardens, while the book also guides readers to nature reserves and Sites of Special Scientific Interest managed by a range of conservation bodies.
ICONIC: red kites have become a familiar sight PICTURE: Graham Parsons
Local author, publisher and gallery owner Pete Hawkes stresses that one aim of the book was to increase awareness and understanding of local wildlife, helping people to differentiate between various species and deepening their respect for nature and the countryside.
From woodland flowers and butterflies to orchids, beetles, fungi and grasses, smaller and less familiar species are not forgotten, either.
Something of a labour of love, it took a couple of years to collate the pictures and put together the text, but the compact volume has proved popular, with more than 2,000 copies sold since its launch in 2019.
The Best of Chilterns Wildlife costs £9.95 plus p/p and is also available from a range of local bookshops.
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