Two new books, Winging it Birding for low flyers and Birduder 344 A life list ordinary, honest account of birding over the years, the latter book covering a wider range,
Nice to read some honest truths about birders.
Keep birding
Rob Creek said
Sat Dec 21 12:49 PM, 2013
Best mate just called round and dropped off an early Xmas present. The new Crossley ID Guide. Can't put it down. A different spin on a bird ID book, photos of all variations of plumages of the birds super-imposed on real photos of the likely habitat, giving a realistic impression of how and where you would see the bird. Well chuffed!
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Dec 1 3:17 PM, 2013
Originally posted by Simon Gregory today:
Just found this on amazon, it's by the same people that did the macmillan guides due 27/03/14
Sorry if it's already been posted I did a search but it came back with no results, just thought i'd give a heads up
I wasn't expecting the atlas until next week, so it was a huge surprise to receive a (very heavy) parcel this morning. I am absolutely overjoyed..
On first impressions the quality looks great, though only time will tell if they made it resistant enough to survive me reading it for the umpteenth time!! The maps themselves are great (though maybe a tad complicated at first), though unfortunately the story they tell is too often one of decline...
dave broome said
Sat Nov 16 8:09 PM, 2013
Bird Atlas 2007-2011 has been delivered this morning. Plenty to dip in to on these dark nights and a pleasant reminder of the survey years
Nick Hilton said
Fri Oct 18 4:06 AM, 2013
Hope you've got a big bookcase mate !
Dennis atherton said
Thu Oct 17 5:33 PM, 2013
Its not just me then. Lol. I also recently bought the new helm guide to The birds of Gambia and Senegal. A birders guide to southern california by Brad Schram. An audubon handbook to eastern birds by mcgraw hill. A photographic guide to birds of britain and europe. Bill oddie. Birdwatching. Gripping yarns. And gone birding. Northwest nature reserves by our very own Pauline Mellor. And finally Birds and Birdwatching at Pennington flash by the legend. David Wilson. Very nice . I like the classics too and have wanted the old penny flash book for ages
-- Edited by Dennis atherton on Thursday 17th of October 2013 06:40:45 PM
Nick Hilton said
Thu Oct 17 2:44 AM, 2013
Dennis atherton wrote:
Superb new book arrived today
Bird ID Insights by Dominic Couzens
Not really a standard book as the trusty Collins does very well but more interested in recognition with the trickier species with the main ID Features and differences straight to the point. The key features and what to look for are the only features listed. Also ageing and plumage variation. Well worth the £12 price with free delivery on Amazon. Definitely worth a look to add to the collection
Funnily enough Dennis mine arrived a few days ago, hadn't seen it before but just took a chance through Amazon. Not a bad little book (points out the pale spot on the upper mandible of Marsh Tit !!!!!!!!!!!), especially for £12 ! Quite like the Gulls section (lets see if it improves my McKerchar Mystery Bird efforts !!!!).
Also got the Mark Cocker - "Birds and People", VERY interesting, but is going to take some reading !!
(also got "Essential Ornithology" - Graham Scott and "Looking At Birds - An Antidote to Field Guides" - John Busby. Thats my reading material sorted for quite some time !!! Think I OD'd slightly !!! It was a weighty package I carried back to work from the local Amazon Locker !!!!)
cheers Nick
Dennis atherton said
Thu Oct 17 2:10 AM, 2013
Superb new book arrived today
Bird ID Insights by Dominic Couzens
Not really a standard book as the trusty Collins does very well but more interested in recognition with the trickier species with the main ID Features and differences straight to the point. The key features and what to look for are the only features listed. Also ageing and plumage variation. Well worth the £12 price with free delivery on Amazon. Definitely worth a look to add to the collection
Nick Hilton said
Sat Aug 31 5:08 PM, 2013
Had a chance this week to have a good look through "The Warbler Guide - Stephenson & Whittle" (my Father had bought it). Its a guide book on American warblers but the format is nothing like anything I have seen before. An amazing amount of information on plumage variations, calls, songs, etc but set out in a totally different format to any British bird guide I've seen. Close comparisons with similar species, highlights of key features on brief views, all sorts of innovative methods to confirm ID. Also can be found for an amazing price,
David Lumb said
Sat Aug 10 2:32 AM, 2013
Identifying Animals. All vertebrates of France, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Great Britain and Ireland. A French publication with text in English, French, & Dutch.
I received my copy today and am very pleased with the content which has excellent drawings, text, and distribution maps for birds, fish, amphibians, reptiles, & mammals. 644 species. Finally a field guide with all these in one book which is ideal for a trip to the near continent.
Available online from Subbuteo Natural History Books which is part of CJ Wildbird Foods Ltd (£23.99 + £2.50 postage)
Louis Hill said
Mon Aug 5 10:40 PM, 2013
RSPB Handbook of British Birds edition 3 is a great one- providing fantastic distribution maps, beautiful, clear illustrations and a wealth of useful information.
Paul A Brown said
Mon Aug 5 10:27 PM, 2013
Just a small enquiry, I have had an order in for Multimedia Identification Guide to North Atlantic Seabirds: Pterodroma Petrels for some time and was just wondering if any one else has ordered this book and if they have received it yet or if this item is not yet available!
Henry Cook said
Thu May 9 10:34 PM, 2013
A new book called 'Scilly Birding: Joining the Madding Crowd' looks like it has the potential to be a good read about the Isles of Scilly, one of the best places in Britain for birding and twitching. There's likely to be some sensationalism going on in order to sell copies to the public, but I believe it is by a birder and not just a journalist so hope it is tempered by the true excitement of birding and enjoying the islands.
More here- http://www.nhbs.com/scilly_birding_tefno_191762.html
Bill Myerscough said
Thu Mar 28 12:20 AM, 2013
Paul Wilson - re your initial post on 26/3. As Ian rightly suggests the number of books that you regularly look at and use will probably be quite limited. One book that I particularly like that hasn't already been mentioned in other posts and that I refer to frequently is the Poyser publication "Birds in England" by Brown and Grice. The dust cover describes this as being "a timely and thorough examination of the status and distribution, past and present, of every species on the English list." Unfortunately with it being published in 2005, it will now be as expected, slightly out of date but still contains plenty of interesting info, to my mind anyway. Not a great deal of pictures in it for you though! If you can get it cheaply anywhere, then it's certainly a welcome, as well as useful addition to any book collection. Another book that I bought this year (and "reviewed" somewhere back earlier on this particular thread) that I have often referred to since purchase is the excellent BTO publication " A Field Guide to Monitoring Nests" by Ferguson-Lees, Castell and Leech. This is one book that I will keep in the boot of my car this summer and will certainly take out with me whilst birding and be one to cast an eye over regularly.
Paul Hurst - re your post on this topic dated 26/3, I too spend far too much time looking at maps, especially in books about birds. Not sure if you are aware that one of our neighbours local atlas publications is now available to look at online, without necessarily having to buy the book! What a bargain! The really excellent "Birds in Cheshire and Wirral - A breeding and wintering atlas" can be viewed at http://www.cheshireandwirralbirdatlas.org/
Also if you wish to look at a limited amount of data for the first two national breeding birds atlas publications for '68 -'72 and '88 - '91 this can be viewed at http://www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/birdatlas/previous-atlases Whilst not having the publications in full the drop down box at the bottom of this webpage shows the distribution maps for species in the two atlas periods and any changes. Also a map (where relevant) of the winter distribution of species during the winter atlas '81 - '84. Maybe just a "taster" for these three publications...assuming they are still available in print?
Best wishes,
Bill.
Steve Suttill said
Wed Mar 27 9:22 PM, 2013
Sorry, I was wrong and Paul was right of course! I was forgetting the hefty post and packing costs!
The pre-publication offer is £45 + £5 p&p = £50
and anyone can have it at that price - whether they contributed or not
Steve Suttill said
Wed Mar 27 4:32 PM, 2013
Paul Hurst wrote:
Just saying that the Bird Atlas 2007-11 is now available for pre-order on the BTO website! If you pre-order it apparently it only cost £50 (inc. p&p), which is £20 cheaper than its retail price (though in my opinion its worth every penny).
I have to admit I've been waiting so long for this book. I love books, birds, and maps, so a book with bird maps is honestly one of the best things I can dream of right now!
It's getting published in Autumn 2013: only about 7 more months to go...
It certainly does look like an impressive piece of work - I too can't wait!
However, there may be a chance that you could get it a few quid cheaper if you contributed records to the atlas - will let you know as soon as I get details...
Paul Wilson said
Wed Mar 27 5:43 AM, 2013
Paul Heaton wrote:
I must admit Mr McKerchars advise is spot on .. the man has his finger on the pulse all the time, just two books and the Birdguide to Northern Europe app is perhaps all you need, oh and a notebook and pencil.
However the Helm guide to Pipits & Wagtails is a very good book and the BTO Migration Atlas is one to bend anyones bookshelf.
Already have those two books (Collins Bird Guide and Advanced Bird ID Handbook) and the iPhone app - mainly used when I need to check a bird call that I'm not used to - quite a lot! Don't do notebook and pencil - struggle with writing.
I have a few other bird books: Raptors of Europe and the Middle East; Flight Identification of European Seabirds; Birds Britanica; Shorebirds of the Northern Hemisphere - I like the pictures!
Paul Hurst said
Wed Mar 27 5:16 AM, 2013
Just saying that the Bird Atlas 2007-11 is now available for pre-order on the BTO website! If you pre-order it apparently it only cost £50 (inc. p&p), which is £20 cheaper than its retail price (though in my opinion its worth every penny).
I have to admit I've been waiting so long for this book. I love books, birds, and maps, so a book with bird maps is honestly one of the best things I can dream of right now!
It's getting published in Autumn 2013: only about 7 more months to go...
Ian McKerchar said
Wed Mar 27 3:54 AM, 2013
To diversify, as Paul says, there are lots of individual fantastic family monograph guides out there, of which the Helm series are the best around; pipits and wagtails; Reed and Bush Warblers; Sylvia Warblers to name but a few, but they are fantastically detailed and ultimately can be quite overwhelming. As such you use them less and in fact, what the Collins Bird Guide offers will suffice for 95% of al occasions
I have to disagree slightly with Henry slightly on the gull guide though. The identification of gulls is developing more than most other species we come across on a regular basis (the 'large white headed group in particular anyway') and once this book was written, sections of it were already pretty out of date. I don't disagree that it may represent perhaps the best treatment of gulls to date but that doesn't necessarily mean it makes it any good! I'm being a bit harsh there perhaps but as someone who has been through the book with a fine tooth comb, I have never read a modern day bird identification monograph with as many inaccuracies as this book. Take a look at certain age classes for some species (third winter birds are a favourite) and the information is desperately lacking. Look at the detailed identification sections and often its merely an expanded version of the brief section with no more 'meat on the bones'. This book was written at a time when various aspects of gull identification were in rapid evolution to a great degree and as such it suffers because of it. Its not the writers fault of course and for many may not detract from the book at all anyway, but for me it does and I practically can't bear reading it any more
As for what books to buy. Well, we all own books we've probably never really read; bought them with good intentions but never really needed them, so my only advise would be to but something you will use regularly or something you'll just enjoy reading instead. I bought a copy of The Migration Atlas recently (only because it was very cheap; a true bargain ) and was blown away by the sheer volume of information and work that had gone into it. A true masterpiece.
Henry Cook said
Wed Mar 27 3:20 AM, 2013
I would recommend the Helm gulls book Paul. No other guide i've come across does this diverse and variable group justice, and the level of detail in it is remarkable. I agree with Ian that identification criteria are constantly evolving, but that is an issue for guides featuring allsorts of groups and not specific to this book in particular in my opinion.
With a grand to spend, it's a fantastic opportunity to purchase a few volumes of Handbook of the Birds of the World (HBW)!
Paul Heaton said
Wed Mar 27 3:14 AM, 2013
I must admit Mr McKerchars advise is spot on .. the man has his finger on the pulse all the time, just two books and the Birdguide to Northern Europe app is perhaps all you need, oh and a notebook and pencil.
However the Helm guide to Pipits & Wagtails is a very good book and the BTO Migration Atlas is one to bend anyones bookshelf.
Ian McKerchar said
Tue Mar 26 11:37 PM, 2013
Paul Wilson wrote:
Not a post on new books, but rather a request on anyone's thoughts on a few that have been out a while.
My son is struggling to spend his £1000 Blackwells University book allowance and I was thinking of getting him to spend some of it on me, rather than it just be lost at the end of the year. I have come up with a shortlist of four books I thought I'd like. Are any of them rubbish? I was thinking of giving him about a third of the value in cash for them if he can get hold of them.
Handbook of Bird Identification - For Europe and the Western Palearctic - 9780713639605 Price 75.00 (Amazon 71.25) (Kindle 31.80)
Raptors of the World - An Identification Guide to the Raptors of the World - 9780713680263 Price 60.00 (Amazon 52.80) (Kindle 18.04)
Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America - 9780713670875 Price 50.00 (Amazon 35.96) (Kindle 24.46)
Collins Bird Guide - large format - 9780007449026 Price 50.00 (Amazon 32.98)
Any others I should consider - given that I don't want anything too serious!
Handbook of Bird Identification- old now and showing it though still has lots of very good information of course.
Raptors of the World- nice to look at but in a Western Palearctic perspective nothing beats Forsman's Raptors book.
Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America- not my favourite book I'm afraid; contradictive in parts; very repetitive in others; and unfortunately as gull identification ploughs on relentlessly this book continues to fall further and further behind. I don't recall the last time I even opened mine up anymore
Collins Bird Guide (large format)- the smaller version is the best field guide available, so this one's just bigger and maybe better? Not for me though. It's unwieldy, cuts the circulation off in your legs when you rest it on your lap and I actually prefer the print and illustrations in the smaller version (I'm odd). I have the large version of the first edition and I don't think I've ever opened it more than a few times.
I have a bookcase bending under the weight of its books and whilst I dip into many of them with regularity, only two now remain on the desk, thumbed to death; Collins Bird Guide (second edition small version) and Advanced Bird ID Handbook (large edition). Its all every bird could want for identification purposes
Paul Wilson said
Tue Mar 26 11:23 PM, 2013
Not a post on new books, but rather a request on anyone's thoughts on a few that have been out a while.
My son is struggling to spend his £1000 Blackwells University book allowance and I was thinking of getting him to spend some of it on me, rather than it just be lost at the end of the year. I have come up with a shortlist of four books I thought I'd like. Are any of them rubbish? I was thinking of giving him about a third of the value in cash for them if he can get hold of them.
Handbook of Bird Identification - For Europe and the Western Palearctic - 9780713639605 Price 75.00 (Amazon 71.25) (Kindle 31.80)
Raptors of the World - An Identification Guide to the Raptors of the World - 9780713680263 Price 60.00 (Amazon 52.80) (Kindle 18.04)
Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America - 9780713670875 Price 50.00 (Amazon 35.96) (Kindle 24.46)
Collins Bird Guide - large format - 9780007449026 Price 50.00 (Amazon 32.98)
Any others I should consider - given that I don't want anything too serious!
Jon Bowen said
Fri Mar 22 6:06 PM, 2013
Steve Suttill wrote:
Not read his Merlin book, Jon, but Dick Orton's "The Hawkwatcher" (probably hard to find these days) is also an excellent read.
I'm currently reading "Bird Sense" by Tim Birkhead. Fascinating stuff...
Steve
I've ordered a copy of the hawkwatcher - I'll let you know what I think, although if it's anything like the Merlin book I won't be disappointed
Ian McKerchar said
Tue Mar 19 5:19 AM, 2013
Paul Heaton wrote:
Birds in a Cage by Derek Niemann, a profound moving book of four British birdwatchers in Warburg POW Camp 1941.
A very good read indeed
Steve Suttill said
Tue Mar 19 5:03 AM, 2013
Not read his Merlin book, Jon, but Dick Orton's "The Hawkwatcher" (probably hard to find these days) is also an excellent read.
I'm currently reading "Bird Sense" by Tim Birkhead. Fascinating stuff...
Jon Bowen said
Tue Mar 19 2:40 AM, 2013
Just finished Merlins of the Welsh Marches by D A Orton a book I remember reading as a teenager and one that I have promised to buy myself for a while. A beautifully written simple book about one man's obsession. The description of the area and the interactions with the birds almost makes you feel like you are there in the Welsh borders 40 years ago. I will read this book again and again.
Paul Heaton said
Tue Mar 19 2:14 AM, 2013
Birds in a Cage by Derek Niemann, a profound moving book of four British birdwatchers in Warburg POW Camp 1941.
Birding with no bins, risk of been shot etc, John Buxton , Peter Condor, John Barrett and George Waterson (Fair isle fame).
Amazing book, and on offer at the moment on Amazon £6.
Paul Hurst said
Tue Feb 19 5:08 AM, 2013
Just finished "The Sound Approach to birding", by Mark Constantine, Arnoud van den Berg, and Magnus Robb. Great read and and has opened my...ears to a all new dimension of listening to bird calls, and bird recordings. Now in the woodlands I get overwhelmed by all the calls of the common woodland birds when I listen using the Sound Approach ('understanding bird sounds'). It's not a guide, but I'll be appreciating a lot more those little 'insignificant' tweets I hear from birds. I never knew that Common Crossbills came in 6 'types' each caracterised by their own calls. The Common Crossbills are already a bird I want to see (again), but I'll be paying close attention when I when I see them next time (and see if I can spot a rarity). By the way, thanks a lot Bill Myerscough for mentioning the book in passing (in the thread 'Jay calls'), I've really enjoyed it.
Steve Suttill said
Fri Dec 21 5:20 AM, 2012
Joe Wynn wrote:
I just received as a late birthday present Return to One Man's Island, which is a load of sketches and paintings from the Isle of May ...:
I received it as an early Xmas present (from myself ). Got to agree it's a great book even though I've not been fortunate to visit the Isle of May. Really good paintings and sketches and interesting ornithologically as well.
Joe Wynn said
Sat Nov 24 4:32 PM, 2012
I just received as a late birthday present Return to One Man's Island, which is a load of sketches and paintings from the Isle of May where I stayed last year. A fantastic book, some really wonderful pictures, my favourite being a picture of a Great Grey Shrike painted from the hand using a head torch to illuminate it. Or one of Velvet Scoter. Its a great book anyhow.
Keith Mills said
Sun Nov 11 5:34 AM, 2012
Large Format Collins Bird Guide, second edition, £25 (Half Price) at Cley NWT shop.
Paul Heaton said
Sun Nov 11 5:09 AM, 2012
A Patch made in Heaven, by Dominic Couzens A year of birding in one place.
Nice book one for the dedicated patch worker.
Paul Hurst said
Mon Oct 8 5:23 AM, 2012
Just bought the "RSPB British Birdfinder". It is nice book, maybe more for beginners or for less experienced birders, but it has some good tips on finding birds. In some ways, it completes my Collin's Bird Guide by going more in dept in the habitat description, as well as being more tailored to Britain's geography. To be fair, having just moved permanently back to England, I needed a book that could give me a more precise layout of the British avifauna. And since the Bird Atlas 2007-2011 won't come out until next summer. . .
Paul Heaton said
Sat Mar 17 12:17 AM, 2012
Extremely rare birds in the western Palearctic by Marcel Haas,
Mouthwatering pictures, it's like a book of dreams.
Bill Myerscough said
Tue Jan 10 1:35 PM, 2012
Bill Myerscough wrote:
I see that the BTO have out what looks to be an excellent new publication:-"A Field Guide to Monitoring Nests" by Ferguson-Lees, Castell and Leech at £24.99.
I feel sure that Santa will be a regular visitor to the website and forum and if you're reading this Santa I promise to be a really good boy in 2012 should I be lucky enough to find this book in the stocking at the bottom of my bed on Christmas morning.
It's probably not a book to be read from cover to cover but if I do get this book for Christmas, I'll try and post a brief review after I've had chance to look it over.
Cheers,
Bill.
-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Sunday 18th of December 2011 10:20:30 AM
Sean Sweeney wrote:
It is a cracking book. Although it was published in june rather than march, missing most of the nesting season, it came in handy as a reference guide in the uplands for me in early summer and certainly during my later write ups on survey work third year. I expect it to be even more helpful in 2012 and hope it gets more people into finding nests and experiencing a dying skill in ornithology - nest monitoring.....
I'm pleased to say that I did get this book for Christmas but quite how Santa managed to pay for it using my credit card is currently under investigation! Said I would give a quick review for those interested. I totally agree with Sean's comments that this is an outstanding book and is an excellent buy for anyone with an interest in this particular aspect of birding. Despite initially stating that I didn't think this was a book to be read from cover to cover, I have actually done so over a period of a few weeks! The book itself is well made and beautiful to handle and is just about pocket sized if you have a slightly larger than average pocket! Most species accounts are handily placed on a single page, with just a few spread over 2 pages. Each page contains a small distribution map, 4 small photos - adult birds at or around their nest; nest with eggs; nest with nestlings in or for those species which leave the nest soon after hatching a photo of small downy young and finally a photo of the egg with measurements. The accompanying text is concise but full of interesting and useful information and includes a general introduction and also paragraphs on site of nest; nest structure/composition; information on eggs; information on young and finally a paragraph headed "Methods", which focuses on tips and hints for finding and monitoring nests. There are also two small bar charts detailing the calendar months when eggs and young might be most likely to be found. Additionally a small box lists the average number of eggs per clutch, likely number of broods per year and the mean number of days spent incubating and also from hatching to fledging.
At £24.99 it may seem a little on the expensive side but when you consider the vast amount of really well presented and fascinating information in the book and that it could last you a lifetime, then I suggest that it is actually a bargain for those with an interest in our breeding birds.
Cheers,
Bill.
Phil Panton said
Mon Dec 26 9:07 AM, 2011
Got a copy of 'Birds - Magic Moments' by Markus Varesvuo for xmas, its a stunning collection of photgraphs
-- Edited by Phil Panton on Monday 26th of December 2011 09:07:47 AM
Sean Sweeney said
Thu Dec 22 1:42 PM, 2011
Bill Myerscough wrote:
I see that the BTO have out what looks to be an excellent new publication:-"A Field Guide to Monitoring Nests" by Ferguson-Lees, Castell and Leech at £24.99.
I feel sure that Santa will be a regular visitor to the website and forum and if you're reading this Santa I promise to be a really good boy in 2012 should I be lucky enough to find this book in the stocking at the bottom of my bed on Christmas morning.
It's probably not a book to be read from cover to cover but if I do get this book for Christmas, I'll try and post a brief review after I've had chance to look it over.
Cheers,
Bill.
-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Sunday 18th of December 2011 10:20:30 AM
It is a cracking book. Although it was published in june rather than march, missing most of the nesting season, it came in handy as a reference guide in the uplands for me in early summer and certainly during my later write ups on survey work third year. I expect it to be even more helpful in 2012 and hope it gets more people into finding nests and experiencing a dying skill in ornithology - nest monitoring.....
Mike Chorley said
Sun Dec 18 5:01 PM, 2011
Bill Myerscough wrote:
I feel sure that Santa will be a regular visitor to the website and forum and if you're reading this Santa I promise to be a really good boy in 2012 should I be lucky enough to find this book in the stocking at the bottom of my bed on Christmas morning.
Which presumes, Bill, that you weren't a good enough boy in 2011 to deserve it
Bill Myerscough said
Sun Dec 18 10:19 AM, 2011
I see that the BTO have out what looks to be an excellent new publication:-"A Field Guide to Monitoring Nests" by Ferguson-Lees, Castell and Leech at £24.99.
I feel sure that Santa will be a regular visitor to the website and forum and if you're reading this Santa I promise to be a really good boy in 2012 should I be lucky enough to find this book in the stocking at the bottom of my bed on Christmas morning.
It's probably not a book to be read from cover to cover but if I do get this book for Christmas, I'll try and post a brief review after I've had chance to look it over.
Cheers,
Bill.
-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Sunday 18th of December 2011 10:20:30 AM
Dennis atherton said
Thu Oct 13 10:17 PM, 2011
Thanks for posting Nik, with free delivery at that price too, who can say No? i cant, i almost picked one up at the bird fair but £40 was a little steep, £26.19 delivered, spot on
Nik Grounds wrote:
Steve Suttill wrote:
Amazon advertising it at £31 - available at end of Sept.
Steve
Currently on sale via Amazon at £26.19
Nik Grounds said
Thu Oct 13 9:56 PM, 2011
Steve Suttill wrote:
Amazon advertising it at £31 - available at end of Sept.
Steve
Currently on sale via Amazon at £26.19
Paul Heaton said
Thu Oct 13 6:30 PM, 2011
Steve its taken me long enough to explain to my wife why I needed the 2nd large edition of collins, now I have to find space on the shelves for this one.
As for the Large format 2nd edition, is it just that? well no.
The large format collins 2nd edition, has a few extras, a beautiful full page plate opposite the contents showing some excellent artwork, some nice profiles on the authors Lars Svensson, Killian Mullarney, Dan Zetterstrom. larger maps etc.
Overall the large format book is just like marmite you either love it or hate it, personally the birds seem lifelike,and it is a joy to read and look at, However to quote the book,
The impact of the larger format artwork, the greater ease with which the interesting detail can be appreciated, make for a much more satisfying and relaxing experience, than some may have when referring to more efficient field guide format
Nice book well worth putting on your shelf.
Steve Suttill said
Wed Oct 12 11:06 PM, 2011
"Wildlife in Printmaking" - new addition to the Langford Press Wildlife Art Series.
My copy arrived this morning and it's the best book I've seen in a long time. I know, from previous art correspondence on this forum, that it won't be to everyone's taste, but check it out if you get the chance.
Steve
Steve Suttill said
Fri Sep 2 9:22 AM, 2011
Amazon advertising it at £31 - available at end of Sept.
Steve
Tim Wilcox said
Thu Sep 1 8:19 PM, 2011
Hi Dennis It's the same as the second edition only 4 times the size so you get to really appreciate the illustrations
Dennis atherton said
Thu Sep 1 5:34 PM, 2011
mmm very nice, i saw them at the birdfair this year, i dident get chance to have a good look, too much going on, is it any different Tim? is it slightly updated, more reference pictures of the birds or just the same pics and same identifications guides but just Bigger ?
Tim Wilcox said
Thu Sep 1 5:01 PM, 2011
Pre-Publication copies of the Large format Collins second edition are on sale at Leighton Moss RSPB. Full price is £50. I got one yesterday as I couldn't resist and it was £5 off too!
Paul Heaton said
Fri Jul 29 4:02 PM, 2011
Sorry Ian carried away with new book excitement.
So, new large format with extra 100 pages, additions and amendments to nearly all species, A number of new side by side tables of comparison species ie Least sandpiper /Long toed stint, Marsh and Willow tits Booted and Sykes warblers, and then a full Checklist of the Birds of the Western Palearctic.
Two new books, Winging it Birding for low flyers and Birduder 344 A life list ordinary, honest account of birding over the years, the latter book covering a wider range,
Nice to read some honest truths about birders.
Keep birding
Can't put it down. A different spin on a bird ID book, photos of all variations of plumages of the birds super-imposed on real photos of the likely habitat, giving a realistic impression of how and where you would see the bird.
Well chuffed!
Just found this on amazon, it's by the same people that did the macmillan guides due 27/03/14
Sorry if it's already been posted I did a search but it came back with no results, just thought i'd give a heads up
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Helm-Guide-Bird-Identification/dp/1408130351/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1385907409&sr=1-1&keywords=helm+guide
On first impressions the quality looks great, though only time will tell if they made it resistant enough to survive me reading it for the umpteenth time!!
-- Edited by Dennis atherton on Thursday 17th of October 2013 06:40:45 PM
Funnily enough Dennis mine arrived a few days ago, hadn't seen it before but just took a chance through Amazon. Not a bad little book (points out the pale spot on the upper mandible of Marsh Tit !!!!!!!!!!!), especially for £12 ! Quite like the Gulls section (lets see if it improves my McKerchar Mystery Bird efforts !!!!).
Also got the Mark Cocker - "Birds and People", VERY interesting, but is going to take some reading !!
(also got "Essential Ornithology" - Graham Scott and "Looking At Birds - An Antidote to Field Guides" - John Busby. Thats my reading material sorted for quite some time !!! Think I OD'd slightly !!! It was a weighty package I carried back to work from the local Amazon Locker !!!!)
cheers
Nick
Bird ID Insights by Dominic Couzens
Not really a standard book as the trusty Collins does very well but more interested in recognition with the trickier species with the main ID Features and differences straight to the point. The key features and what to look for are the only features listed. Also ageing and plumage variation. Well worth the £12 price with free delivery on Amazon. Definitely worth a look to add to the collection
All vertebrates of France, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Great Britain and Ireland.
A French publication with text in English, French, & Dutch.
I received my copy today and am very pleased with the content which has excellent drawings, text, and distribution maps for birds, fish, amphibians, reptiles, & mammals. 644 species.
Finally a field guide with all these in one book which is ideal for a trip to the near continent.
Available online from Subbuteo Natural History Books which is part of CJ Wildbird Foods Ltd (£23.99 + £2.50 postage)
providing fantastic distribution maps, beautiful, clear illustrations and a wealth of useful information.
More here- http://www.nhbs.com/scilly_birding_tefno_191762.html
Paul Hurst - re your post on this topic dated 26/3, I too spend far too much time looking at maps,
Also if you wish to look at a limited amount of data for the first two national breeding birds atlas publications for '68 -'72 and '88 - '91 this can be viewed at http://www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/birdatlas/previous-atlases Whilst not having the publications in full the drop down box at the bottom of this webpage shows the distribution maps for species in the two atlas periods and any changes. Also a map (where relevant) of the winter distribution of species during the winter atlas '81 - '84. Maybe just a "taster" for these three publications...assuming they are still available in print?
Best wishes,
Bill.
The pre-publication offer is £45 + £5 p&p = £50
and anyone can have it at that price - whether they contributed or not
It certainly does look like an impressive piece of work - I too can't wait!
However, there may be a chance that you could get it a few quid cheaper if you contributed records to the atlas - will let you know as soon as I get details...
Already have those two books (Collins Bird Guide and Advanced Bird ID Handbook) and the iPhone app - mainly used when I need to check a bird call that I'm not used to - quite a lot! Don't do notebook and pencil - struggle with writing.
I have a few other bird books: Raptors of Europe and the Middle East; Flight Identification of European Seabirds; Birds Britanica; Shorebirds of the Northern Hemisphere - I like the pictures!
If you pre-order it apparently it only cost £50 (inc. p&p), which is £20 cheaper than its retail price (though in my opinion its worth every penny).
I have to admit I've been waiting so long for this book. I love books, birds, and maps, so a book with bird maps is honestly one of the best things I can dream of right now
It's getting published in Autumn 2013: only about 7 more months to go...
I have to disagree slightly with Henry slightly on the gull guide though. The identification of gulls is developing more than most other species we come across on a regular basis (the 'large white headed group in particular anyway') and once this book was written, sections of it were already pretty out of date. I don't disagree that it may represent perhaps the best treatment of gulls to date but that doesn't necessarily mean it makes it any good! I'm being a bit harsh there perhaps but as someone who has been through the book with a fine tooth comb, I have never read a modern day bird identification monograph with as many inaccuracies as this book. Take a look at certain age classes for some species (third winter birds are a favourite) and the information is desperately lacking. Look at the detailed identification sections and often its merely an expanded version of the brief section with no more 'meat on the bones'. This book was written at a time when various aspects of gull identification were in rapid evolution to a great degree and as such it suffers because of it. Its not the writers fault of course and for many may not detract from the book at all anyway, but for me it does and I practically can't bear reading it any more
As for what books to buy. Well, we all own books we've probably never really read; bought them with good intentions but never really needed them, so my only advise would be to but something you will use regularly or something you'll just enjoy reading instead. I bought a copy of The Migration Atlas recently (only because it was very cheap; a true bargain
With a grand to spend, it's a fantastic opportunity to purchase a few volumes of Handbook of the Birds of the World (HBW)!
However the Helm guide to Pipits & Wagtails is a very good book and the BTO Migration Atlas is one to bend anyones bookshelf.
Handbook of Bird Identification- old now and showing it though still has lots of very good information of course.
Raptors of the World- nice to look at but in a Western Palearctic perspective nothing beats Forsman's Raptors book.
Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America- not my favourite book I'm afraid; contradictive in parts; very repetitive in others; and unfortunately as gull identification ploughs on relentlessly this book continues to fall further and further behind. I don't recall the last time I even opened mine up anymore
Collins Bird Guide (large format)- the smaller version is the best field guide available, so this one's just bigger and maybe better? Not for me though. It's unwieldy, cuts the circulation off in your legs when you rest it on your lap and I actually prefer the print and illustrations in the smaller version (I'm odd). I have the large version of the first edition and I don't think I've ever opened it more than a few times.
I have a bookcase bending under the weight of its books and whilst I dip into many of them with regularity, only two now remain on the desk, thumbed to death; Collins Bird Guide (second edition small version) and Advanced Bird ID Handbook (large edition). Its all every bird could want for identification purposes
My son is struggling to spend his £1000 Blackwells University book allowance and I was thinking of getting him to spend some of it on me, rather than it just be lost at the end of the year. I have come up with a shortlist of four books I thought I'd like. Are any of them rubbish? I was thinking of giving him about a third of the value in cash for them if he can get hold of them.
Handbook of Bird Identification - For Europe and the Western Palearctic - 9780713639605 Price 75.00 (Amazon 71.25) (Kindle 31.80)
Raptors of the World - An Identification Guide to the Raptors of the World - 9780713680263 Price 60.00 (Amazon 52.80) (Kindle 18.04)
Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America - 9780713670875 Price 50.00 (Amazon 35.96) (Kindle 24.46)
Collins Bird Guide - large format - 9780007449026 Price 50.00 (Amazon 32.98)
Any others I should consider - given that I don't want anything too serious!
Steve
I've ordered a copy of the hawkwatcher - I'll let you know what I think, although if it's anything like the Merlin book I won't be disappointed
A very good read indeed
I'm currently reading "Bird Sense" by Tim Birkhead. Fascinating stuff...
Birding with no bins, risk of been shot etc, John Buxton , Peter Condor, John Barrett and George Waterson (Fair isle fame).
Amazing book, and on offer at the moment on Amazon £6.
By the way, thanks a lot Bill Myerscough for mentioning the book in passing (in the thread 'Jay calls'), I've really enjoyed it.
I received it as an early Xmas present (from myself
Got to agree it's a great book even though I've not been fortunate to visit the Isle of May.
Really good paintings and sketches and interesting ornithologically as well.
Large Format Collins Bird Guide, second edition, £25 (Half Price) at Cley NWT shop.
Nice book one for the dedicated patch worker.
Mouthwatering pictures, it's like a book of dreams.
I'm pleased to say that I did get this book for Christmas but quite how Santa managed to pay for it using my credit card is currently under investigation!
At £24.99 it may seem a little on the expensive side but when you consider the vast amount of really well presented and fascinating information in the book and that it could last you a lifetime, then I suggest that it is actually a bargain for those with an interest in our breeding birds.
Cheers,
Bill.
-- Edited by Phil Panton on Monday 26th of December 2011 09:07:47 AM
It is a cracking book. Although it was published in june rather than march, missing most of the nesting season, it came in handy as a reference guide in the uplands for me in early summer and certainly during my later write ups on survey work third year. I expect it to be even more helpful in 2012 and hope it gets more people into finding nests and experiencing a dying skill in ornithology - nest monitoring.....
Which presumes, Bill, that you weren't a good enough boy in 2011 to deserve it
I feel sure that Santa will be a regular visitor to the website and forum and if you're reading this Santa I promise to be a really good boy in 2012
It's probably not a book to be read from cover to cover but if I do get this book for Christmas, I'll try and post a brief review after I've had chance to look it over.
Cheers,
Bill.
-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Sunday 18th of December 2011 10:20:30 AM
Currently on sale via Amazon at £26.19
As for the Large format 2nd edition, is it just that? well no.
The large format collins 2nd edition, has a few extras, a beautiful full page plate opposite the contents showing some excellent artwork, some nice profiles on the authors Lars Svensson, Killian Mullarney, Dan Zetterstrom. larger maps etc.
Overall the large format book is just like marmite you either love it or hate it, personally the birds seem lifelike,and it is a joy to read and look at, However to quote the book,
The impact of the larger format artwork, the greater ease with which the interesting detail can be appreciated, make for a much more satisfying and relaxing experience, than some may have when referring to more efficient field guide format
Nice book well worth putting on your shelf.
My copy arrived this morning and it's the best book I've seen in a long time. I know, from previous art correspondence on this forum, that it won't be to everyone's taste, but check it out if you get the chance.
Steve
Steve
So, new large format with extra 100 pages, additions and amendments to nearly all species,
A number of new side by side tables of comparison species ie Least sandpiper /Long toed stint,
Marsh and Willow tits Booted and Sykes warblers, and then a full Checklist of the Birds of the Western Palearctic.
In all a very nice new addition of a new book.
Ps sent you some photos.