Bob the Robin & Friends: A new book by viral photographer and influencer Tony Putman

Bob the Robin & Friends, the second book by social media sensation Tony Putman will be released on October 1, 2026.  

In this true story, Putman will continue the heartwarming personal accounts of the feathered friends he meets whilst working as a gardener. 

The first instalment, Bob the Robin: A Love Letter to Britain’s Favourite Bird, arrived in bookstores last year. 

Exploring his friendship with a robin named Bob, the 2025 book took readers on an emotional rollercoaster of the bird’s lifespan and served as an important reminder to appreciate the abundance of life on our garden step.

“I hope you love Bob’s second book as much as the first one,” the social media influencer said on his Facebook.

Unlikely best friends 

Putman first met Bob in 2019, whilst gardening in Edenbridge, Kent. 

Determined not to get attached, he kept the visitor at arm’s length, so as not to be disappointed when the little bird fledged.  

However, it was not long before the guarded act dropped, and the pair struck up a friendship.  

Landing on his work shoes, tools and even in his car, the robin became a regular visitor and comfort to the gardener. 

“Before I knew it, we were best friends,” he said in an interview with The Dodo. 

But there is no way Putman could anticipate how much his new friend would mean to strangers on the internet.

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Star of the show  

Putman already had a Facebook account dedicated to wildlife photography and had a particular love for sharing pictures of robins that visited him. 

In fact, he loved the songbird so much that a follower inspired him to name the page @putmanandrobin, a clever play on Batman and Robin, a duo from the DC universe. 

However, there was something special about this particular robin.

Posing for photos, Putman shared pictures of the bold bird online, and the internet fell in love. 

Naming him Bob, his followers began sharing how the cheerful character had helped them through life’s trials and tribulations, crediting the little bird with making their day a bit brighter.  

What is it about robins? 

Britain’s love for robins is not a new phenomenon.  

In 1960, robins were voted Britain’s favourite bird and in 2015 were declared the country’s national bird after a VoteNationalBird campaign.  

Largely popular due to its familiarity and upbeat song, it is hard not to walk near a park or look out your garden window without seeing or hearing the red-breasted bird. 

They have also become synonymous with the saying, “When a robin appears, a loved one is near.”

Putman told BBC he wasn’t sure how true all that was but “it’s quite strange how he [Bob], turned up during a time when I really needed a bit of help.”

But the influencer isn’t the only one who is finding comfort in our winged friends.

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Swapping screens for songbirds 

Doomscrolling and never-ending For You Pages are all part of everyday life for Gen Z.  

But many have decided enough is enough and are looking at life through the lens of binoculars, instead of their phone. 

Birdwatching has become the second fastest-growing hobby among Gen Z, after jewellery making. 

In fact, a staggering 750,000 Gen Z Brits say they enjoy birdwatching, according to a survey published by the RSPB.  

That is a 1,088% increase since 2018.  

#Birdwatching boasts an impressive 606.9K posts on TikTok, with young people regularly sharing their birdwatching journeys: @kirstyoutdoors – “It’s me and my RSPB pocketbook against the world.”  

@birdinggirlies, a UK-based birdwatching community founded by best friends @aliciasbirding and @whybirdstho, enjoyed a viral moment this year after introducing their bird club to Instagram. 

The group aims to end the stereotype that birdwatching is a male-dominated hobby.

And there is no doubt they are succeeding, with hundreds of young women asking to be a part of the community.  

Time for a nature prescription? 

Research from King’s College, London, in 2024 found that seeing or hearing birds can improve people’s mood for up to eight hours.  

Commenting on the joy of birds in an interview with The Dodo, Putman said: “They certainly taught me to slow down, and I am very grateful for Bob’s legacy.”

Preorder for Bob The Robin & Friends is available now at Bob the Robin & Friends by Tony Putman | Waterstones

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