This is part nature writing, part travel writing and I enjoyed meeting the various individuals the author introduces us to in his visits to various locations throughout the country - including Suffolk where he investigates the prevalence of muntjac.

With our wild places and wildlife disappearing at a terrifying rate, Galbraith goes in search of the people who are trying to save our birds and he explores the true consequences of life without these species. 

He talks to musicians, poets and artists as well as those involved at the frontline of conservation, and he isn't afraid of confronting some controversial topics such as the culling of deer and badgers. And he speaks to both gamekeepers and animal rights activists who both feel they are on the right side of a complex and often ugly battle.

This book particularly struck a chord with me having recently interviewed a thatcher, and having had a short break on the Norfolk Broads.

For example Galbraith highlights how the ancient crafts of reed cutters and coppicers have long sustained vital habitats for some of our rarest birds but whose voices often go unheard.

And he dedicates a chapter to the bittern on the Broads. I didn't hear or see one during my visit, but I'm determined to go back not least because this book introduced me to another fascinating individual. The Victorian photographer Emma Turner was a pioneer in charting the birds and wildlife in Norfolk yet knew nothing about wading birds when she first visited the county two years previously. There's a great radio programme about her here. A fascinating and thought-provoking read.