Charlie Bingham: The Life Affirming Magic of Birds - Part of Summer Derby Book Festival 2026

Description

Birdwatching is for everyone. Discover how simple, everyday encounters with birds can help you bond with the natural world.  

Whether it’s a brief encounter with a friendly robin or a curious wood pigeon perched on your windowsill, everyone has a bird story. Join nature and wildlife enthusiast Charlie Bingham as she travels the length and breadth of the UK, searching for oystercatchers on rooftops and peregrines on cathedral spires. Simply look up and become part of the awe-inspiring world that exists above us.  

 Broken into twelve chapters, each covering a different bird and a different lesson, discover: 

• How engaging with nature doesn’t require expertise, special equipment or remote settings.
• Practical advice and accessible ways to notice and interpret the birds around you.
• How birdwatching helped Charlie navigate grief, mental health, ADHD, financial strain and other major life challenges.  

Blending Charlie’s beautiful nature writing and personal anecdotes with relatable life lessons, this is the perfect book for all birdwatchers, or anyone who struggles to find motivation to get through the daily grind.  

Both a memoir and a practical guide to slowing down and noticing what’s around you, The Life-Affirming Magic of Birds reveals how even the smallest encounters with nature can offer a renewed sense of connection. 

'Moving, informative, funning, evocative. Charlie's book will take you on a wonderful journey through the world of birds and the stories of those that live alongside them. Through her stories, you will be inspired to embark on your own journey and make a deeper connection with the natural world around you. An utter delight from start to finish.' – Miranda Krestovnikoff

‘A beautifully written book that connects us to beauty and curiosity. It will fill your mind and make your heart sing like a nightingale.' – Robin Ince