1. British Garden Birds
A veritable treasure trove for all ornithologists, British Garden Birds holds a comprehensive A-Z list of British birds, including information about identification, feeding and conservation. There’s also handy MP3 audio files of individual birdsong, making it even easier for you to identify the elusive winged-friend in your garden. If you’re feeling confident, you could try the bird identification quiz to name more than 160 birds, based on photographs and sound clips. The information page answers common queries about birds and birdwatching, including how to stop birds flying into your window!

2. BirdGuides
Interested in finding out about the birds in your neck of the woods? Then the useful county-by-county guide available at BirdGuides is for you. With details of sightings and popular birding sites, you can push the odds in your favour when planning your next birdwatching trip. There’s also a user-led gallery of photographs and a webzine, covering up-to-date goings on in the bird world. Emails and text alerts mean you need never be out of the loop with rare bird sightings.

3. UK Bird Photographers
If you’re a keen bird photographer looking for tips on how to improve your shots, then this forum could be for you. Share your images for feedback from other members or gain tips from the pros about image editors such as Photoshop or Elements. You can get advice on all the latest equipment from lenses to tripods and buy and sell items too.

4. The Garden BirdWatch Project
The Garden BirdWatch Project is run by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) and is your chance to get involved in the conservation policy of the future. Simply by recording observations about the birds in your garden, you can contribute to a better understanding of it as a habitat for birds and the role it plays in their survival. And what’s more, you can do it all from the comfort of your sofa. If you’re feeling nosey you can compare your findings to your local neighbourhood to see the most and least reported species. Head back to the main BTO site and watch nest camera footage or find out about ongoing research.

5. One Man’s Quest to Photograph Britain’s Birds
Mark L Pewtress is on a mission to photograph Britain’s birds, and this charming and dedicated site catalogues how far he has got. He has photographed a large proportion of his list of 270 species, and you can help him to name his latest subjects in an identification blog. You can keep up to date with his challenge via a diary blog and browse the photographs of birds he has managed to spot in his gallery. Each photograph is accompanied by a few handy facts about the bird.

6. Birds of Britain
With glowing recommendations from the likes of Bill Oddie, Birds of Britain is packed full of essential birding information. Whether you’re after a county-by-county list of bird reserves, birdwatching clubs or an illustrated A-Z guide, this site has it all. Regular competitions in the form of a monthly mystery bird quiz and a photo of the month quiz add to the fun, and there are some useful recommendations for more reading if that’s not enough for you. Check out the accommodation and tours sections if you’re heading away on a birdwatching adventure.

7. World of Birds
This inspirational grassroots website is produced by Steve Oakes, a birdwatching enthusiast in north-west England. The whole site is thoughtfully put together, with pictures categorised by date, common name, family and location. Useful features include the interactive map, which reveals good spots for birding, and the field guide, which details facts about 93 birds found in the north-west region.

8. RSPB
One of the best all-round sites, the RSPB is a good place to start if you’re new to ornithology. Use the live webcams to view birds of prey and other birds, or use the interactive bird identifier to work out what bird you saw in the garden last night. The reserves section offers options for days out and there’s wide-ranging advice for gardeners that isn’t just limited to birds – mammals and insects are also included.

9 Fat Birder
While technically a worldwide birding site, the British birding section on Fat Birder is exceptional. An interactive map breaks down the top birdwatching sites on a county-by-county basis and there’s also a bibliography of additional reading. If you’re itching to get involved, the list of clubs in the area should satisfy your cravings, and there are also insider trip reports from people who have tried out the birding holidays, plus links that make you feel like a local expert before you even get there.

10. The Barn Owl Trust
There’s something intrinsically British about barn owls, and if you’re lucky enough to live in an area frequented by them, the Barn Owl Trust will help you manage their habitat requirements on this site. Learn how to make and erect a barn owl nestbox – for trees, poles or buildings – and find out in detail about their lifecycle. The kids’ section includes how to make a pellet truffle, how to make an owl finger puppet and plenty of owl-related jokes too.

11. A Tale of 2 Halves
A Tale of 2 Halves may sound like a football report, but it’s a jovial and entertaining read of one man’s birdwatching exploits between Cheshire and Shetland. Regular updates with great pictures make it a good pick-me-up read when you’ve got a spare five minutes. However, a monthly archive would make it easier to look at old posts.

12. The Gloster Birder
The Gloster Birder provides an abundance of information about birdwatching in Gloucestershire. Navigate through the sidebar and you will find a list of sites to visit, some background about the sites and the birds you’re most likely to see there. There’s a regularly updated diary, as well as a list of sightings by month. A fantastic example of a great local resource and a marvelous community site - the addition of a Gloucestershire birder field guide is inspired. 

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Related Links on the Countryfile Magazine website:

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• FORUM: What's your bird of the day?
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