Wild Things columnist Eric Brown unearths some shocking and some heartening news from the world of birds in the year's most important ornithological diary and yearbook.

A single moment always reminds me it is time to start preparing for the rush of Christmas commerciality signalled by garish, flashing lights, ringing shop tills and a significant increase in delivery vans driven at Formula One speed around even the narrowest suburban streets.

The moment itself is not the reappearance of Noddy Holder bellowing "It's Christmaaaas" but a welcome thud on the doormat indicating that The Birdwatcher's Yearbook has arrived.

Wild Things: Horrific threat to our wildlife

Now regular readers will be aware I write about it every year and there can be few superlatives left to describe the contents. So forgive any repetition please.

Much of it consists of updated information which has become indispensable to birdwatchers over 40 years. More of that later.

But one article revised with each issue is the interesting "News from the World of Birds" by James Lowen. Some of this is shocking, some heartening.

Perhaps capable of being filed under both categories is wildlife crime and punishment - both increasing. Information from the RSPB indicates persecution of raptors continued unabated with a red kite and an osprey both having to be put down after suffering serious gunshot wounds and two satellite-tagged hen harriers disappearing in mysterious circumstances. This followed 21 hen harriers reported killed or missing the previous year. Hen harrier and osprey eggs were found in a large illegal collection in Suffolk. Police forces reported a 59 percent increase in crimes against wildfowl including fireworks thrown into duck ponds. Swans were found beheaded.

Wild Things: Crossness Nature Reserve plan must be stopped

However the courts are at last responding. A Dorset gamekeeper was fined more than £2,000 and received a suspended prison sentence after many illegally killed raptors were discovered on the estate where he worked and a Scottish gamekeeper was fined more than £1,500 for shooting a sparrowhawk. Room for still heavier sentences, surely. Better news concerns a £21 million grant from Aviva to the WWT for restoring UK saltmarshes and small population rises for threatened skylarks and corn buntings. Stone curlew and nightjar numbers reached record levels on RSPB reserves. But Avian flu is estimated to have killed at least 10,000 black-headed gulls with gannets and terns also among 60 species badly affected.

The book is a treasure trove of information ranging from animal/bird hospital details, contacts for county and international bird organisations, birding events diary, tide tables and directories of bird-related trade outlets and an updated guide to 380 UK nature reserves. Plus the vital bird, butterfly and dragonfly checklists to record sightings.

The price may have risen by a couple of pounds but it is still a bargain for a publication in daily use.

Sadly Yearbook editor Neil Gartshore has indicated he may hang up his green eyeshade soon and is seeking a successor. If no one can be found this important book may disappear.