Want to tell your Chiffchaff from your Chaffinch? Not sure who’s voice is belting from the treetops in the morning? Join nature nerd and author Lucy Lapwing for some ‘in the field’ birdsong lessons, setting off from the Portobello Bookshop at 10am on Saturday 20th June.

Taking a walk on the beach, Lucy will introduce you to the world of birdsong, giving some tips and tricks when it comes to learning the voices of different feathered songsters, as well as spotting some live birdlife as we go. Lucy will also tell you a little bit about her first book, Love is a Toad , which explores our relationship with wildlife and the natural world.

Lucy will finish the walk back at the bookshop around noon where you can grab a copy of the book, and get it signed by the author herself!

Please wear suitable outdoor clothing (and suncream!) and bring portable stools, blankets or cushions if you’d like to sit down as we learn. Suitable for families, including children over 7.

Nature makes us feel things. It sparks awe, curiosity and a sense of beauty and community. But as wildlife around us declines and disappears, murkier feelings rise up: guilt, detachment and fear for nature’s plight. For many years, Lucy Lapwing wrestled with these tangled emotions. So, in an attempt to make sense of this dance between joy and grief, she decided to go on a journey.