An essential guide to every species of tree found in the British Isles – outside of arboretums

This easy-to-use guide covers the 360 species of tree that are found in Britain & Ireland. Each species is covered in detail with information on how to identify, whether from a leaf, twig, bark or whole tree, plus extra information on where the tree grows (including a map), how high they grow, what uses it is put to and history.

Every species is also comprehensively illustrated with photographs of every useful feature – bark, leaf, seed, flower, twig and whole tree.

Sample identification section:
Silver Birch Betula pendula (Betulaceae) height to 26m
A slender, fast-growing deciduous tree with a narrow, tapering crown when young and growing vigorously. Older trees acquire a weeping habit, especially if growing in an open, uncrowded situation.


British Wild Flowers

by Paul Sterry

Published 7 April 2008

A complete photoguide to all the wild flowers of Britain.

With over 1,000 main entries covering wildflowers, shrubs, aquatic plants, grasses, sedges and rushes Collins Complete Guide to British Wild Flowers is a definitive photographic reference guide for flower enthusiasts.

Helpful information about habitats of wild flowers and useful tips to aid identification are included along with a botanical hotspots section detailing 100 rarer species. Comparison pages show different leaf shapes and flower clusters to enable quick and easy navigation to the right section of the book to make your identification. Detailed information on which places to visit in Britain particularly rich in flower species are also included, along with individual maps showing where each species can be found.

This is the essential photographic field guide of the best wild flowers Britain has to offer.


This photographic guide describes almost all the mammals, birds and butterflies likely to encountered by the keen amateur naturalist in Britain, as well as all the common flowers, trees and shrubs. It also includes a few unusual species of plants and animals.

British Birds

by Paul Sterry

Published 5 April 2004

A complete photoguide to all the birds of Britain from the best nature publisher in the UK

Collins Complete Guide to British Birds makes bird identification easier than ever before. It is the most complete photographic guide to British birds ever published and the only one to be designed to give everything that you need on each spread in a simple-to-use format. Every text entry covers identification of adults and juveniles, songs and calls, and where they are most likely to be found.

Illustrated with specially commissioned photography and maps to show where in Britain the birds are found and at what time of year, this accessible guide also features cross-references to similar-looking species, containing everything a birdwatcher needs to know in one, easy-to-use, portable volume. It is the perfect photographic field guide for the birdwatching beginner.


Complete Irish Wildlife

by Derek Mooney and Paul Sterry

Published 4 October 2004
The essential photographic guide to Ireland's wildlife. Complete Irish Wildlife describes almost all the mammals, birds, fish and butterflies of Ireland likely to be encountered by the keen amateur naturalist, as well as all the common and widespread flowers, trees and shrubs. With over 1,000 colour photographs, this comprehensive guide illustrates every species described. The introduction by Ireland's best known wildlife expert, Derek Mooney, sets out where you can find the best of Irish wildlife. Reptiles and amphibians, insects and spiders, molluscs and other invertebrates are also featured, and species are organized taxonomically. Each section is coded with a symbol for quick reference and species are grouped according to natural relationships and similarities. With its handy format and PVC wallet, Complete Irish Wildlife is a book no nature lover should travel without.

THE ESSENTIAL PHOTOGRAPHIC GUIDE TO BRITAIN'S ANIMALS This photographic field guide to all mammals, reptiles and amphibians in Britain, including all the common domestic animals, is a comprehensive guide to identification of species, and their tracks and trails. Each animal has two pages of coverage, containing: * detailed information * distribution maps * numerous photographs of the animal itself, its habitat, tracks and signs Observation tips, habits and natural history are included for each entry, and species are grouped according to families.

British Garden Wildlife

by Paul Sterry

Published 2 September 2010

An essential photographic guide to the rich variety of wildlife found in your garden.

Gardens mean different things to different people. For some, they are merely another room, an outdoor extension to the house. For others, they are places of relaxation that provide an escape from the outside world. But for most garden owners, the relationship with their plot of land is much more than simply passive: passionate and committed, they enjoy gardening for its own sake, and part of the fun is the prospect of connecting with nature, be it with the plants they cultivate and nurture or with the diverse native wildlife that finds its way into their gardens.

This comprehensive photographic guide helps nature enthusiasts to identify the native plants and animals they come across in their gardens, be they welcome or otherwise. Learning about any given species’ requirements and its role in garden ecology will allow gardeners to adapt their approach to gardening, enabling them to encourage wildlife whilst also protecting plants from damage.

Including birds, mammals, insects, spiders, trees, wild flowers, fungi and pond life, along with features on bird nests and eggs and tracks, trails and signs, detailed photographs and species descriptions help readers identify each species quickly and easily.