Since the first issue of Nature's Home hit doormats in mid-October, a record 800 e-mails (and 60 letters) have come in to me - and they are still pouring in. The previous best was 370 e-mails on the back of the January 2012 issue. It's great to hear what you think and there has been a good mix of positive feedback, plus constructive criticism that will help us to shape future issues. Many, many thanks for taking the time and trouble to get in touch. I have read every e-mail so far, but apologise that I can't reply to them all individually.
There have been recurring themes, including the new-look cover with its "teasers" for content in the magazine. Its a big departure from Birds covers that contained a big image of a bird but gave no clue as to what was in the magazine. The reasoning behind adding these is because we want more people to open the magazine and read the great content inside rather than just looking at the front cover image and not bothering to open the magazine. Early feedback is that this has done the trick with lots of readers reporting they didn't read the magazine previously, but got stuck straight into Nature's Home.
It's clear that the new name will take some time to get used to, but as regular readers know, the RSPB magazine contains much more than just features and news about birds as it talks about all of the RSPB's work.
I'm really pleased that the big three features have gone down well with "Wetland wizard" looking to be the biggest crowd-pleaser so far with "10 winter wonders" not far behind.
We're well into production of the next issue now and with Big Garden Birdwatch coming up in January, when this issue mails, we'll share lots of tips on how to make your Birdwatch your best ever.
Winter wonders
It's not difficult to see how the long-tailed duck got its name - superb image of a drake by Chris Knights (rspb-images.com)
Hopefully, you've been able to get out and enjoy some of the wildlife flagged up in Nature's Home, including our ten winter wonders feature. Many migrant birds are still coming in. I was on the Norfolk coast at the weekend and saw flocks of pink-footed geese arriving from Iceland across the sea, plus a very nice flock of long-tailed ducks making flypasts before plopping down onto the sea - these Arctic visitors literally do just that!
Stormy weather
The windy weather has thrown up lots of exciting birds to end the autumn. I caught up with a coupld of pallid swifts when I was in Norfolk and in the last two days alone, Britain and Ireland has has its first ever ruby-crowned kinglet (on Cape Clear), a myrtle warbler (Lundy) and a mourning dove has just turned up on the Isle of Rhum - all American birds. Hopefully the storm hasn't caused you too many problems - we seem to have escaped the worst of it here in the east.