David Lindo’s Urban Nature Tour
Kowa recently teamed up with Kowa ambassador David Lindo, better known as The Urban Birder, for a special guided walk through Wormwood Scrubs in West London. Over the years, David has fallen in love with this hidden pocket of green, a place that proves city birding can be full of surprises. The event celebrated local wildlife, seasonal migration, and the incredible biodiversity that thrives in city spaces — and, of course, it gave participants the chance to try out the Kowa YFII 8x30 binoculars in real-world conditions.
"Welcome to my garden," David Lindo calls out with a grin. He’s not kidding. We’re standing in the middle of Wormwood Scrubs, a nature reserve tucked inside West London. Bordered by prison walls, dog-walking paths, and high-rise apartments, Wormwood Scrubs might not sound like a birding paradise, but it absolutely is. "I've been coming to this hallowed turf for maybe 30 years," David explains. "I've seen all sorts of stuff here over the years." With its mix of grassland, bramble thickets, small woodlands, and open sky, the Scrubs provides vital green space for both resident and migrating birds. As David reminds us, "Whether that bramble patch is on the roundabout in Birmingham or on an island in Shetland - it doesn't matter. It's still a resource for that bird."
Migration Season
Much of the walk centered on fall migration, that magical time when quiet city corners turn into birding hotspots. "You have to come to a place several times," David explained. "Every morning there's a different population of birds." Even familiar backyard visitors, like blackbirds and robins, might be travelers from across Europe. "You open your back door in November, and you see birds in your garden, you could actually be hearing Norwegian, German, Polish… But you're looking at Robins.”
The Joy and Sadness of Urban Nature
Not all of David’s reflections were happy ones. He spoke with real sorrow about how meadow pipits, once nesting here, have vanished, driven away by off-leash dogs and growing foot traffic. "They’re not much to look at… but this was the closest breeding colony to central London." Still, there’s hope. David emphasized the resilience of urban wildlife and the importance of bird-friendly design: "Nature starts from our doorstep, not in some David Attenborough extravaganza, but actually from our doorstep."
Birding as Mindfulness
For David, birding is about far more than adding species to a list. "It's relaxing. It's meditative. It's not about getting a massive list, it's about you feeling good." You don’t have to fly to remote islands to experience that peace. "Once you start thinking like that, that's when you start seeing things." A highlight of the walk? Spotting a great spotted woodpecker and a long-tailed tit in the same tree. As the walk wrapped up, David reflected on the magic of his home turf, the same place where he filmed his first BBC Springwatch segment: "No matter where I am in the world, I'm always thinking about what's happening here."
Wormwood Scrubs might not stand out on a map, but it’s a sanctuary, a refueling stop for migrant birds, a peaceful escape for locals, and an endless source of inspiration for birders everywhere.
Why the Kowa YFII 8x30 Is the Perfect Birding Companion
Compact, lightweight, and exceptionally clear, the Kowa YFII 8x30 is a top pick for birders at any level. With its ultra-wide field of view and razor-sharp clarity from edge to edge, it’s perfect for tracking small, fast birds like warblers or kinglets. The 8x magnification strikes the ideal balance between detail and stability, making it easy to follow birds through dense trees or quick flight paths. Its classic porro-prism design gives you excellent depth perception, while the rugged, waterproof construction stands up to any weather.
Whether you’re exploring your neighborhood park or heading out for a migration watch, the YFII 8x30 delivers reliable, comfortable performance all day long — at a price that’s easy to love. It’s no wonder David Lindo calls it his go-to pair for urban birding adventures.
