OLD BIRD BOOKS

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

RE: OLD BIRD BOOKS

Mike Passant · Status: Offline

Hi Pete,

The Little Shearwater at Rostherne was picked out of the water by John Brannan and Malcolm Calvert, two of my colleagues then in the South Manchester Ringing Group, and it was either late 70's or possibly early 80's.

To this day I've never reliably seen a Little Shearwater of any form anywhere, (the nearest being Hutton's and Fluttering in Oz and New Zealand).

Not a happy bunny here in Madrid this week as I write this;- we arrived here on 22nd, first bird seen on Thursday morning was a Black Kite (harbinger of doom?), and England have (true to form) been dumped out of Euro 2016 by...... wait for it..... Iceland, population 330,000!

At least I can pretent to be Spanish for the rest of our stay.

Salud,

Miguelito

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

Nick Hilton wrote:

I picked up "The Birds of Cheshire" T. Hedley Bell 1962, in cracking condition, in a charity shop at the weekend.

As it is the old county system some interesting records from the south Manchester area (there are many references to Carrington Moss). I've only had a quick flick through but a couple of records that caught my eye (and raised my eyebrow);

1946 Atrincham Sewage Works - Cirl Bunting (with the added comment that they used to breed in Denbigh and Flint earlier in the century!)

Madeiran Little Shearwater - "On May 10, 1958, a living bird was picked up by school children in a field near Stockport on the Cheshire side of the River Mersey, and was subsequently examined critically......... The bird subsequently died and is preserved in the Bolton Museum".

Anybody got that on their GM list ?!

The shearwater record is also to be found within the systematic list on the Manchester Birding website and a further Cirl Bunting record from Horwich in 1946 (the date should be 4th April), though The Birds of Lancashire by Oakes (published 1953) comments that there were two nesting records in Lancashire during the 1940s and six site records of birds 'within a few miles of each other on the western side of the Anglezarke uplands'!

pete berry · Status: Offline

There's also another record of Little Shearwater in the region,at Rothstherne Mere,which is just outside the GMC boundary in Cheshire,but I think at the time was including the Manchester recording area before GMC was "invented".This was probably n the late 70s and the bird spent a couple of days flying round the mere and was initially identified as a Manx Shearwater,it was only when the bird was picked up exhausted and the blue feet were seen was its true identity realised.Unfortunately the bird died shortly afterwards .

Nick Hilton · Status: Offline

I picked up "The Birds of Cheshire" T. Hedley Bell 1962, in cracking condition, in a charity shop at the weekend.

As it is the old county system some interesting records from the south Manchester area (there are many references to Carrington Moss). I've only had a quick flick through but a couple of records that caught my eye (and raised my eyebrow);

1946 Atrincham Sewage Works - Cirl Bunting (with the added comment that they used to breed in Denbigh and Flint earlier in the century!)

Madeiran Little Shearwater - "On May 10, 1958, a living bird was picked up by school children in a field near Stockport on the Cheshire side of the River Mersey, and was subsequently examined critically......... The bird subsequently died and is preserved in the Bolton Museum".

Anybody got that on their GM list ?!

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

I Have just obtained, a lovely signed, , first edition ,copy of The Sky's Their Highway by Kenneth Williamson, very nice , Now he was One of the Great Ornithologist , and was born in Bury.

Now T A Coward another great Ornithologist , born in Altrincham, So I was wondering who else from the birding world greats was born in the now Greater Manchester area??

Keep Birding.

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

Stephen, John Maclair Boraston wrote and excellent book called Birds By Land and Sea, which was the observations of a birder in the area of Stretford from September 1902 to September 1903.

In 2002 to 2003 i followed in his footsteps looking for the same birds, taking his book around the same areas.....a lot has changed.

Keep Birding

JamieDunning · Status: Offline

Sounds tricky - if you don't turn anything up on here you could drop the librarian at the Edward grey institute an email. I have used them for old articles in the past.

Stephen Heery · Status: Offline

Does anyone know anything about John Maclair Boraston b.1862. d ? Who lived in Stretford and wrote Nature Tones and Undertones in 1905. I have exhausted an Internet search. i would be glad to correspond with anyone who knows about him. I live in Ireland and grew up in Stockport. Cheers.

dave broome · Status: Offline

dave broome wrote:

"If anybody fancies buying the 2011 Hampshire Bird Report, they can snap one up on eBay for the grand and very precise sum of £182.98
Alternatively it can still be bought from the HOS for £12.10........."

For anybody who bought the report above, they can now add the 2005 Hampshire Bird Report to their collection, available now on eBay for the consistent and precise sum of £182.98 They must know something I don't

richard howells 2 · Status: Offline

This might interest contributors:-

"Pensychnant (near Conwy) will be having a Book Fair 10-5pm, on Saturday 1st August. We have inherited and been given a lot of old books recently (1000s) and whilst I love books, we do need to find new homes for many and hopefully raise some money for the Pensychnant Conservation Centre. Most are natural history books; mostly birds, but there are all subjects of fact and fiction".

See you there.

Ian Boote · Status: Offline

so if the ebay one is bought is this a nice little earner?.......hope no one reads this. confuse

dave broome · Status: Offline

If anybody fancies buying the 2011 Hampshire Bird Report, they can snap one up on eBay for the grand and very precise sum of £182.98
Alternatively it can still be bought from the HOS for £12.10.........

-- Edited by dave broome on Friday 12th of June 2015 12:42:55 PM

Mark Jarrett · Status: Offline

Chris Harper wrote:

Ta for the tips. Got the Gosney one already and not shelling out too much cash for it . May try Buxton or the rspb group.

Hi Chris - I did a week long birding trip to Bulgaria in 2012, anti clockwise covering the full country from near the Greek border in the south to the Romanian border in the north, wetlands, coast, mountains, farmland etc. If you pm me your email address, I can mail you back my trip report if you wish. Excellent birding, you should see some superb birds. I've done a fair bit of birding in Europe but managed 17 lifers during the Bulgaria trip!

Mark

JamieDunning · Status: Offline

Not sure if it's been mentioned already but...
Ecological isolation in Birds, David Lack is one I find myself constantly referring to, despite it's age.
It could revolutionise miss-identified Marsh tits alone.

cheers

Chris Harper · Status: Offline

Read the reports and very helpful. Got some good tips, although not expecting as much movement when we go at start of April.

Tim Wilcox · Status: Offline

Chris Harper wrote:

Ta for the tips. Got the Gosney one already and not shelling out too much cash for it . May try Buxton or the rspb group.

Alternatively see the Bulgaria trip reports by Anne Wilkinson and myself on this site and/or PM me for sites visited with Birdquest who turned our group 210 species and every single Bulgarian speciality

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

Forgive the slight deviation on this subject .

I have just obtained Leo H Grindons book The Manchester Flora, sequel to his Country rambles Manchester Walks and Wild Flowers, which has the first Manchester Bird list in it.

Would love to get a copy of Robert Buxtons books Ferns and Mosses of Manchester, if any one has a copy happy to discuss a reasonable price.

ps I know its not birds but its dark, and quiet.

Chris Harper · Status: Offline

Ta for the tips. Got the Gosney one already and not shelling out too much cash for it . May try Buxton or the rspb group.

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

Chris, the only copies I can find are in America £40 plus packing, its is out of print published 1996.

Have you thought of getting Dave Gosneys Finding birds in Bulgaria 2004, £6 on Amazon etc it may be more up to date etc.

Failing that there is a Bookfair in Buxton pavillon gardens 8th Feb, find Ivan Clarke in there he deals in bird books.

Keep Birding

Rob Creek · Status: Offline

Chris Harper wrote:

Anyone out there know if there are any copies of the out of print 'where to watch birds in Bulgaria' with the wallcreeper on the front? Off for a visit in April and would find this an interesting addition to the luggage.
Any help grately appreciated.

Hi Chris,
Seemingly none available on eBay and last one has gone on Amazon, BUT when you go to this book on Amazon, scroll down to the bottom, go to 'other items viewed' and there is an 'Atlas of Breeding Birds in Bulgaria' (2007 publication) for £29.99, it's by the same author (Petar Lankov) as the Wallcreeper covered 'Where to watch Birds in Bulgaria' (1996).
Hope it's of interest.
Cheers
Rob

Chris Harper · Status: Offline

Anyone out there know if there are any copies of the out of print 'where to watch birds in Bulgaria' with the wallcreeper on the front? Off for a visit in April and would find this an interesting addition to the luggage.
Any help grately appreciated.

Keith Mills · Status: Offline

While I was watching the amazing Corvid roost at Buckenham recently, a local birder told me that the Rooks etc.
had been present in the area for a very long time, and were in fact recorded in the DOMESDAY BOOK
written in 1086.
The original book still exists and is held in London , but is written in Latin.
However there is an online translation in English.
I have not found the Rook record yet but there are 475 pages covering the settlements of Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex,
With a similar number of pages covering the rest of England.
It is a detailed record of all towns and villages ,giving landowners, livestock,activities etc, even down to the numbers
of beehives!
Birds are recorded as Norwich is down for 1 Goshawk.
Nearer to home, Blackburn's largish entry includes 1 Hawks Eyrie while Leyland boasts 5 Hawks Eyries
Possibly one of the earliest written Bird records? smile

-- Edited by keith mills on Friday 20th of December 2013 09:00:30 AM

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

Riggers that puts you on latrine duties in the 200 Club

.

Mark Rigby · Status: Offline

Paul Heaton wrote:
but downloads and PDF format should only ever be used when an book has become extinct
until then one should always have a readable hard

Paul,

The cheapest I could find is £11+p&p! PDF is free and can be edited and printed out in larger text for those of us with failing eyesight!

(Light blue touch paper and stand well back!) wink

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

JONATHAN PLATT, dear me, the demon kindle is a useful bit of equipment, but downloads and PDF format should only ever be used when a book has become extinct

until then one should always have a readable hard copy.

The digital world sucks the soul out of books.

Keep Birding.

-- Edited by Paul Heaton on Friday 1st of November 2013 11:21:43 AM

Jonathan Platt · Status: Offline

"British nesting birds : a complete record of every species which nests in the British Isles" (1910) by William Percival can be legally downloaded as a PDF or for a Kindle from here if anyone's interested:

https://archive.org/details/britishnestingbi00west

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

Originally posted by John Doherty today:

Has anyone came across books concerning our hobby or its subject pre-1950? They're very Famous Five/Boy Scouty, and really bring a new dimension to things. I was given one by my dad titled simply British Nesting Birds and the preface is dated 1910 - it must be somewhat older than that but it's very very old.

I had to explain that some of the birds nonchalantly explained about here just simply were very scarce in the UK now, i.e Kentish Plover...

But the best bit was, each bird has a 'local names' entry.... now get this...

Ringed Plover, local names: Alexandrine Plover, Dull-Willy, Land Laverock, Ringed Dotterel, Sand Lark, Sand Laverock, Sandy Loo, Shell Turner, Stone-Hatch, Stone Plover, Stone Runner, Wideawake(!)

Common Buzzard, local names: Blood Hawk, Mouse Buzzard, Puttock.
'
They actually have Yellowhammer named as Yellow Bunting and the 'Yellow Ammer or Hammer' only makes an appearance in its local names

A fascinating book, wondered if anyone had stumbled across similar.

John Doherty · Status: Offline

Paul Heaton wrote:

Now pre 1910, could be a number of books..

The British bird Book 12 volumes by F B Kirkman.

British birds their eggs and nest Gallichen, Walter, Robe.

But my money is on British nesting birds by Percival Westell 1919 edtion.

You're likely right, it's definitely authored by Percival Westell.... a fascinating book for sure and I shall take great pleasure in reading those 'local names' because they're so funny¨and eccentric!
Edit: I meant to write somewhat newer as the book is obviously newer since when the preface was written! Nontheless a great and old and fascinating book...!

-- Edited by John Doherty on Thursday 31st of October 2013 08:43:14 PM

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

Now pre 1910, could be a number of books..

The British bird Book 12 volumes by F B Kirkman.

British birds their eggs and nest Gallichen, Walter, Robe.

But my money is on British nesting birds by Percival Westell 1910 edtion.

The old names were still in common use, lots of books on the subject nowadays,

Birds Britannica by Mark Cocker is an excellent book on the subject of bird names etc.

-- Edited by Paul Heaton on Friday 1st of November 2013 07:47:45 AM

Steve Suttill · Status: Offline

"Island Going" is a great read. Atkinson and his mates were tough nuts - not like these days when anyone with enough cash can get to North Rona...

My best "previously-owned" finds were a couple of little volumes of the Birds of Switzerland which were bought there by Max Nicholson in 1946. Don't know how they found their way to a bookshop in SW Scotland?

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

Purchased an old battered copy of a book call ISLAND GOING by Robert Atkinson collins 1945 which is a recollection of travels to the remoter isles chiefly uninhabited off Northwest corner of Scotland. As I cannot get there I can read and dream excellent hard to find book.

Now imagine my shock when I saw the previous owners name on the front cover, ERIC SIMMS, the great broadcaster and ornithologist of a bygone age, the author of British Warblers number 71 in the The New Naturalist series, to own a book that belonged to him is something special, so pleased with my purchase.

Keep birding and reading its good for the soul.

dave broome · Status: Offline

For anybody interested, there are five Chorley and District Natural History Society annual reports (1979-1984) for sale on ebay

JamieDunning · Status: Offline

I'm sure they must have been mentioned on here before but;
the Birds of Europe the Middle East and North Africa (The birds of the western palearctic)

just picked up the last two volumes from a charity shop in Didsbury.

The information gathered by the authors really is second to none, and even in comparison to my more modern texts on bird ecology these are much more detailed and precise.
the one draw back is some (minor) taxonomic changes and also dated distribution data for some species, though I have up to date books for both so this dosn't matter so much.

J

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

After spending last night, this morning, this afternoon and this evening hunting the mosses, I have turned to whiskey and a good book.

THE BIRDS OF HEAVEN, PETER MATTHIESSEN.

Travels with Cranes, he has spent a decade in search of all fifteen species of Crane.

Some people have all the luck.

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

St Martins press 1980 1st edition with dust jacket, nice book and abouts its price,

but good old UK has some good years list and day list books, my favourites are,

The Big BIrd Race Bill Oddie David Tomlinson

Going for the Biggy Stuart J Gibson, privately published fairly hard to find, but an excellent read.

Keep Birding.

Patrick Baglee · Status: Offline

Just come back from New York where I picked up a first edition of 'Call collect, ask for birdman' by James Vardaman, the story of his attempt to see 700 species of bird in the ABA area in one calendar year. Spoiler alert: he managed 699! Cost me $7.00 and came in the original dust jacket. So much more interesting than the film with Black, Wilson and Martin. What a shocker.

Nick Isherwood · Status: Offline

Just been handed a few old bird books by the wife's parents that belonged to the wife when she was young.

I-Spy series - In the wood
Dickens Press Ltd 1968
Priced 1/6

RSPB Publication - The Birds from your window.
Published 1973
Contains articles by Peter Cushing, Humphrey Littleton and Joyce Grenfell on the birds they see from their windows.

Ladybird publication - A second book of British Birds and their nests.
By Brian Vesey Fitzgerald.
Prices at 2/6.
Interestingly too this book was bought second hand by my wife when she was a child from the British forces library in Kowloon.

Neil Ferguson · Status: Offline

I was in the Yorkshire Dales at the Weekend.Called in at SedBergh on our way to Hawes.

In a 2nd hand book shop I picked up a copy of "More Birds Of The Day" by Eric Hosking and Cyril Newberry.

Originally published in 1946.I'm not sure when this version was printed but it was priced at 12s 6d on the dust sheet.It's in great condition and cost me £8.50.

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

Just obtained a nice copy of Birds of East Lancashire, rare book, but inside was a mega rare item a postcard from A W Boyd on the subject of late swallow migration,dated 1957,

For those of you who dont know A W Boyd always used postcards, he even went on a twitch after news reach him of a rare bird via another postcard, oh how the postal service has changed, and birding.

Anyway a rare book with a rare postcard, brill.

Rostherne hide is 50 years old this year if my memory serves me right?

Colin Ramsden · Status: Offline

A tale of customer service.

Just over forty years ago I decided to purchase Bannermans 'Birds of the British Isles' - all twelve volumes, I hoped. At that time they were the princely sum of about £5 each, a fair chunk of a weeks wage.

On enquiry at Sherrat and Hughes on St Annes Square, Manchester I was given a brusk response which was ' sorry, out of print' and no more interest than that shown by the member of staff.

Crestfallen I walked round to Willshaws book shop on John Dalton St and asked the same question of a silver haired gentleman, who was a member of their staff.

'Will you be wanting all twelve volumes, sir' he asked. I confirmed that I would but I think it was obvious that my means would not commit to all twelve at once.

' Perhaps we should obtain all twelve for you and you can take them one by one when the money is available' the gentleman said.

That was exactly what they did. They procured all twelve and let me buy them when I could. There was no written commitment from me. I don't think they even asked for my address. It was much more of a gentleman's agreement. They fulfilled their promise and I fulfilled mine.

They are still on my book shelf (in original dust jackets) and of course I can't look at them without feeling grateful for the the good services of that silver haired gentleman.

vic chatterton · Status: Offline

Ok for youngsters like you Paul but with all the dusty tomes I've gathered over the years my book shelves in my office are groaning under the weight.

I've had to resort to witchcraft such as Kindle rather than buy the actual books.

Dave Thacker · Status: Offline

I have just recently inherited from a dearly departed birding friend

of mine two volumes of Birds of our Country, their eggs, nests, life, haunts and identification by Frank Finn and E. Kay Robinson. Printed by Hutchinson around 1923-25.

Fascinating reading which I have only just started but some snippets stand out already. It states that the Bittern should really be classed as game as they are really good to eat and that the Buzzard can be attracted by the skinned carcase of a cat

and also a pair of Bee eaters attempted to breed in Scotland in 1921.

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

Vic, the kindle is not an Old Book, neither is the downloaded info, no it's an evil inventions of the demons of modern tech, and will never replace or even come near to a good old book, ( perhaps it has its uses sometimes ) put please seek out a good old bookshop, and enjoy the experience of holding a original copy of your favourites.

Nice to see you are reading some good stuff, My battered tatty copy of Hudson, is full of feathers, rough notes I made as a kid.

Stay away from the demon kindle, but Keep reading.

vic chatterton · Status: Offline

Got a new toy for my 65th - a Kindle. Have downloaded a couple of W H Hudson books " Birds and Man" and "Birds in Town and Village". Well worth reading. Hudson is considered by many to be Britain's best ever writer on natural history, a view I wouldn't argue with.
Also downloaded Vol 1 of Thomas Bewick's "A History of British Birds", in which it ascertains that 3 or 4 specimens of Swallow-tailed Kite" were shot in England in the 19th century!
Must pay more attention next time I go to Etherow CP!
Still have an extremely battered 1958 copy of my first "proper" bird book- A Field Guide to the Birds of Britain and Europe" by the "Three Wise Men" -- Peterson, Mountfort and Hollom.

Steve Suttill · Status: Offline

My current bedtime reading is Boyd's "Country Diary of a Cheshire Man". Fascinating book which shows just how much our bird life has changed in the last two or three generations.

In the 30's Tufted Ducks were quite scarce and Turtle Doves relatively common birds. Don't think he was much of a lister though.

Steve

dave broome · Status: Offline

I see Geoff Hargreaves' current signature reads 'Parish listing, dare you..'. May I point Geoff to 'A Country Parish' by E Boyd. Though it doesn't actually include any mention of a parish year-list it must have crossed the author's mind. Also Geoff, it includes a mention of a Starling ringed in the parish in question, near Marbury, Cheshire, which was recovered in your very own neck of the woods, Platt Bridge.

mike killelea · Status: Offline

I have just bought The Kingfisher by David Boag a bit specific I know but the wealth of information is fantastic.
And it is also a good read, it is an old book and now out of print - I bought it from abe books a fantastic source for most books.

Regards

Mike

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

A good friend of mine recently mentioned the back of the Shell guide list, after a little thinking I recall the old Shell Guide to Birds Of Britain james Ferguson-lees Ian Willis J.T.R Sharrock,

His list was of the vagrants in the back of the book, I have just dusted my old copy off, memories came flooding back, this book was once the only one to have.

Collins and Nils may now be in everyones car and shelves, but this book is a real gem, my copy has gone back on the main shelf, at least it has the manners to put a illustration of a Tanager in.

Keep Birding

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

I didn't go in for books or plants John

but the coffee's pretty reasonable, though the cakes...mmmm, cakes