A BOOK celebrating the county’s diverse bird life has been flying off the shelves.

The Birds of Gloucestershire has sold out its first print run and it is being rushed to bird lovers at the upcoming Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands Centre’s (WWT) Festival of Birds, where its authors will be appearing.

The most comprehensive study of Gloucestershire’s winged species was produced with the help of over 200 volunteers who surveyed the entire county.

Written by Gloucestershire bird enthusiasts Gordon Kirk and John Phillips and with a foreword by HRH the Prince of Wales, it features photographs taken by local birdwatchers, maps showing species’ locations and illustrations from top artists including the founder of WWT, Sir Peter Scott.

Mr Kirk said he was delighted that the book was selling so well, adding: “A huge team of people was involved in producing it, so it is great to know that their efforts are being seen and appreciated by so many people.”

Veronica Chrisp, general manager at Slimbridge WWT said: “The Birds of Gloucestershire is packed with useful information and beautifully illustrated, so it comes as no surprise it has been so popular.

"We are delighted that Gordon and John will be speaking about the book at the Festival of Birds and pleased that more copies are winging their way to us in time!”

The two-day Festival of Birds on Saturday, February 1 and Sunday, February 2 showcases the centre’s bird numbers at their peak. The authors will be speaking at 10am on Saturday.

For more information or festival tickets, visit www.wwt.org.uk/slimbridge