NEW BIRD BOOKS

Rob Creek · Status: Offline

RE: NEW BIRD BOOKS

Mike Duckham · Status: Offline

Your story reminds of when I was working at Conwy RSPB reserve, someone wanted to show us his pic of the Stilt Sandpiper that has been present.. only thing was, ours had been in non-breeding plumage.. his pic was a stonking summer plumaged bird! Awkward!

Loved the Moomins, just so well written. Snufkin's a fantastic hippy character. Maybe don't read your littlun the last book of the series? - Moominvalley in November, its incredibly atmospheric but also has a huge dollop of Scandinavian melancholia.

Rob Creek · Status: Offline

Paul Heaton wrote:

Well the Moomins and Snufkin in particular are brilliant kids books, twas Mrs Pepperpot stories that got me into birding ."-)
As for Gulls and Social media post... well everyone is an expert and want to show it
Just carry on birding and enjoy what you see

I just found it strange that someone helping to put the book together (even just to supply a photo) would want to use a reversed photo, unless they genuinely didnt know.
Yeah Snufkin is fast becoming one of his favourite characters.

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

James Walsh wrote:
"In Search of One Last Song: Britains disappearing birds and the people trying to save them"

Patrick Galbraith et al

Publisher: Harper Collins

A thought-provoking book highlighting ten bird species and a crew of grassroots conservation heroes.

Here's my book review:

"I am honoured to be a part of this book and really happy that the Northern Lapwing is one of the birds that make up the ten birds of the UK that Patrick highlighted to show a fair and balanced view of our green and pleasant land.

The Northern Lapwing is a real constant of life in the North of England, we see them in a variety of habitats, including the not so glamorous urban birding hotspots such as the Higginshaw Lane Industrial Estate, where 200 birds are present this Autumn. This bird is so ingrained into our culture, the Lancashire Wildlife Trust inhouse members magazine is even called Lapwing.

I was privileged to receive the invitation from Patrick to get involved in this book and it was a real buzz to show him around my manor, the industrial heartlands of Greater Manchester a VIP Ecotour on bicycle!

Reading this book made me really appreciate, and genuinely feel, how lucky I am to have seen all of the ten bird species, during my travels as a birder in the 1990s that I wrote about in The Big 400 book.

It also gave a fascinating insight into the British countryside in the 21st century. It is only when peoples stories are told that we start to understand the environment from a human perspective, and congratulations to Patrick for his tracking skills on finding such an eclectic crew of grassroots conservationists with such interesting life yarns!

In Search Of One Last Song & Low Carbon Birding are the two most essential books of the year so far, in my humble opinion. I can give no higher praise!"

James Walsh

https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/in-search-of-one-last-song-britains-disappearing-birds-and-the-people-trying-to-save-them-patrick-galbraith

I have this on the shelf at the Side ready to Start ...

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

Well the Moomins and Snufkin in particular are brilliant kids books, twas Mrs Pepperpot stories that got me into birding ."-)

As for Gulls and Social media post... well everyone is an expert and want to show it

Just carry on birding and enjoy what you see

Rob Creek · Status: Offline

I was going to put this on Paul Heatons thread but I go off at a tangent slightly to Pauls subject so I thought it best posted here.

Considering my son is 4 - the books Im reading at the moment are Moomins, and anything by Julia Donaldson, The Gruffalo etc. and other kids stories, but also he loves looking at my bird and mammal books.
One in particular is the latest Gulls book, Gulls of Europe, North Africa & the Middle East, he constantly goes to it and its obvious hes got the birding bug especially for Gulls.

The other night somebody posted an image on X (Twitter) of a Gull stating it was a Lesser Black-backed, it was obviously a Great Black-backed. I was then browsing images of such on the Gull research website and suddenly realised that one of the Great Black-backed images Id seen before in the book!
What appears to be the original image is on the Gull research website (with background) but the one in the book is the same Gull but in reverse. How odd that someone would do that.

However, then I remembered it has happened to me before now with a Caspian Gull I found at Redgate a few years ago. A Cheshire birder had come to see the Caspian one day during its stay and Id called in at the same time.
The bird wasnt present during my stay and off I went. A bit later, an image appeared on social media on this birders page saying he was pleased to connect with the bird. I thought thats a decent shot but it looks familiar no wonder, it was my photo but reversed. Mad!

James Walsh · Status: Offline

"In Search of One Last Song: Britains disappearing birds and the people trying to save them"

Patrick Galbraith et al

Publisher: Harper Collins

A thought-provoking book highlighting ten bird species and a crew of grassroots conservation heroes.

Here's my book review:

"I am honoured to be a part of this book and really happy that the Northern Lapwing is one of the birds that make up the ten birds of the UK that Patrick highlighted to show a fair and balanced view of our green and pleasant land.

The Northern Lapwing is a real constant of life in the North of England, we see them in a variety of habitats, including the not so glamorous urban birding hotspots such as the Higginshaw Lane Industrial Estate, where 200 birds are present this Autumn. This bird is so ingrained into our culture, the Lancashire Wildlife Trust inhouse members magazine is even called Lapwing.

I was privileged to receive the invitation from Patrick to get involved in this book and it was a real buzz to show him around my manor, the industrial heartlands of Greater Manchester a VIP Ecotour on bicycle!

Reading this book made me really appreciate, and genuinely feel, how lucky I am to have seen all of the ten bird species, during my travels as a birder in the 1990s that I wrote about in The Big 400 book.

It also gave a fascinating insight into the British countryside in the 21st century. It is only when peoples stories are told that we start to understand the environment from a human perspective, and congratulations to Patrick for his tracking skills on finding such an eclectic crew of grassroots conservationists with such interesting life yarns!

In Search Of One Last Song & Low Carbon Birding are the two most essential books of the year so far, in my humble opinion. I can give no higher praise!"

James Walsh

https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/in-search-of-one-last-song-britains-disappearing-birds-and-the-people-trying-to-save-them-patrick-galbraith

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

Nick Hilton wrote:
A new book arrived over the weekend: Hummingbirds - A Celebration of Nature's Jewels, Princeton University Press, Bartley and Swash.

Looks really good with some very impressive photography, if you are familiar with Glenn Bartley's work you wont be disappointed. 30% discount to Birdlife International members so was a bit of a bargain. Although purchased on the US site, the book was delivered within 2 days by its UK distributor. Impressive service.

Nice ..looking forward to you finding GMs first Hummingbird .

Nick Hilton · Status: Offline

A new book arrived over the weekend: Hummingbirds - A Celebration of Nature's Jewels, Princeton University Press, Bartley and Swash.

Looks really good with some very impressive photography, if you are familiar with Glenn Bartley's work you wont be disappointed. 30% discount to Birdlife International members so was a bit of a bargain. Although purchased on the US site, the book was delivered within 2 days by its UK distributor. Impressive service.

Tony Coatsworth · Status: Offline

Europe's Birds - Hume, Still, Swash & Harrop just arrived in the post.

Looks pretty good quality with 4700 sharp photos covering 928 species. Examples of the most common races as well as male/female/juvenile and confusion species all on the same page.

As already mentioned, a bit hefty for the field, but for £20 it's a bargain.

Ivan Ellison · Status: Offline

Another new photographic guide to the birds of Europe is about to be released. I took delivery of pre release copy due to some of my images being used in it. Same authors of the British birds guide that was released a couple of years ago. From comments below it will probably receive mixed reviews. It is well put together and has some excellent photos in it. The photos of the British birds all appear to be the same as earlier copy, obviously the birds seen in Europe are extra. I feel it is a bit too bulky to be used as a field guide but would be of use upon your return home/holiday accommodation. I quite like photographic guides but am a bit biased due to my taking of photos. If you haven't got a photo guide book and would like one I think this would cover all angles and be of use to you. Put it on your xmas list and see what Santa brings you. Europe's Birds. An identification guide. Wildguides. ISBN 978-0-691-17765-6

Richard Thew · Status: Offline

I already understand allot about what makes a bird tick, so I couldn't resist a book on:

RSPB POCKET BOOK OF BIRD ANATOMY.

Only flicking through and it contains many extra details that I haven't known within various categories such as muscle, senses, nervous system and several other things. I certainly have realised yet again how complicated and sophisticated life is and is certainty a testimony to the uneque design of birds (from their designer) and the information available today is certainly goes way beyond what Darwin knew and understood about life and there are still many things we don't understand today. Anyone interested in biology of birds that is laid out in a short simple way with illustrations and diagrams to aid understanding, then I recommend this book.

Ta!

Nick Hilton · Status: Offline

Thanks John

JOHN TYMON · Status: Offline

Nick Hilton wrote:
They look interesting John, especially the second. Who is the publisher and author(s)?
Thanks

Christopher R Boland and as with most things it seems in Saudi, it was Government sponsored so published by Saudi Aramco , whether it will ever be UK published I don't know but inside there is a list and one says London Publishing UK .

Nick Hilton · Status: Offline

They look interesting John, especially the second. Who is the publisher and author(s)?
Thanks

JOHN TYMON · Status: Offline

A couple of weighty tomes that arrived last week , as I had been asked for pictures to use I got them free , but they are very nice guides im unlikely to ever use much as I don't travel very far , but for anyone who does they seem good but expect them to be expensive as they are Huge . The Birds Of Saudi Arabia 2 volumes. see picture thats quite a big mobile to give idea of size.

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

Craig ! haha when you said British birds one, I was thinking of the British birds magazine thought I was going to have to add another book to the collection

Yeah all fieldguides are interesting and the perfect one is down to particular taste and personal opinion , I now think the most important book any birder needs or should never be without is your NOTEBOOK , making your own notes observations, either hand written or digitally , is the best

I have become a tad obssessed with the works of Lars Jonsson his artwork is brilliant His birds of Europe North Africa and the Middle East is beautiful, the original smaller 5 volume set are brilliant as for his winter birds books well there you go ! all down to personal taste .

Birding is the most important thing and trying to share our knowledge, so when a new book comes out and we can find something good in it then its done its job for someone , to introduce anyone to nature through a book is perfect .

stay happy and hopeful keep birding

ps comparing the two wildguide ones completely different , the original British Birds one is as you say a collection of excellent photos to heavy to carry in the field I found it useful to just iphone camera shoot a few pages Asian / American thrushes the north american warblers and Tyrant flycathers were brilliant and wishes thoughts for the autumn trip to the scilles , but yeah just another collection of photographs

This Flight identification one is completely different, the first 30 pages on how to use this book , makes you think, so the first British birds one is standard field guide

this one is like the Helm guide to Bird Identification an in depth look at confusion species Keith Vincombe Alan Harris Laurel Tucker, a more indepth look at things

-- Edited by Paul Heaton on Friday 19th of February 2021 06:23:08 AM

Craig Higson · Status: Offline

Hi Paul, the one I am referring to is the Wildguides one - Britain's Birds an Identification Guide by Hulme, Harrop, Still, Swash and Tipling. There's no getting away from the fact that some of the photo's are excellent, but as a field guide I just don't find it useful at all. Plus the fact that they use contradictory terminology in the descriptions - as a birder of too many years familiar with terms like supercillium and malar stripe, trying to work out what they really meant by a few of their descriptive terms sort of did it for me!

Anyhow - I actually suspect there's no comparison. Several birders I know have now commented on how good / useful this one is so I guess its just a matter of time before I purchase one. Maybe it will help me pick out that rarity next time I'm stood at Numpties at Spurn watching the Redpolls and Goldfinches streaming past!

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

Craig, I always wanted to find the perfect bird book ? , and over the years I have come to realize that no such book exists , so began the collecting of bird books and I have found golden nuggets in lots of different books .

I gave a talk a few years ago 50 years of birding through books twas a good laugh, from the ispy book to the New Black Collins guide, yet they all have there faults and positive bits .

I have also shyed away from photographic guides , the Wildguide series is like marmite to a lot a people, I actually found certain sections to be extremly helpful.

The Handbook of the Western Palearctic birds Hadoram Shirihai and Lars Svennsson again love some bits not others .

The British birds version ? I must have a copy somewhere, is that the title ? who were the contributors?

I have found Ken Kaufmans quote `'Birding is something we do for enjoyment ;so if you enjoy it , you're a good birder. If you enjoy it a lot you're a great birder "

As a Twitcher I found myself to be a good twitcher but maybe not a good birder, so i scrapped listing and went back to old school birding for me , just seeing birds

With Books its like homework when I come back from birding I can spend hours looking through all my books, none of my books are relegated , i use sections of them all .

This new book has made me look closer at flight pattern silhouette, etc wing shapes in flight , today i looked closer at everything that flew by me , that has to be a good thing .

As you say accounting for personal perference , you have to bear in mind I find the site of a full bookcase a pleasure , I encouage all my friends to look at my books and you will be surprised how everyone see something special in all the books .

I thought the same as you , I dont need to add to my shelves , but personally its added some extra dimensions to the way I now bird.

If you let me know the full title of the British birds one you reference, I will try to compare , but a new book thats makes you get out birding . well that has to be good.

Theres a lot of information on flight calls which will help at a vis mig site and I have just a local site to watch this spring thats will be a new thing for me, so when any book makes you try a new approach the author has done his work .

Keep collecting books and birding

-- Edited by Paul Heaton on Thursday 18th of February 2021 07:20:37 AM

Craig Higson · Status: Offline

I'm intrigued Paul. I thought the Wildguides Photographic Guide to British Birds that came out a couple of years ago was awful. It was relegated to the top shelf of my library - out of reach unless desperate measures were called for - which basically means unless I feel like I need to see a photo of something, which isn't very often. I have probably used it less than half a dozen times since I received it as a Christmas gift in 2018 (I think). I'm wondering how this one might compare before I bite the bullet and add it to my already groaning shelves. Did (do) you by any chance have copy of the British Birds version, and would you care to comment on whether this one is better/same? - accounting for personal preferences of course.

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

After a recommendation from another birder I purchased

FLIGHT IDENTIFICATION OF EUROPEAN PASSERINES by Tomasz Cofta

Published by Wildguides , this in an extremely interesting book, heavy 500 pages , some amazing photographs, if you like the Birding Frontiers Challenge series of books this will appeal to you.

Quote from the book , Now I will have to start birding again ...

Actually cannot wait to get out and put some of this into practise, as they say its a birders must have in their collection.

Keep Birding

Nick Hilton · Status: Offline

Another weighty tomb landed on the doorstep today from Lynx Edicions, in Spain;

European Breeding Bird Atlas 2 (Distribution, Abundance and Change)

Covers;
596 breeding bird species
5 years of fieldwork by 120,000 fieldworkers over 11 million km2 in almost 50 countries.

A 10 year project from start to finish.

Those of us taking part in some BTO surveys will have inputted into it.

With 968 pages it is another beast of a book, the quality is superb and again the majority of the illustrations are excellent (and again the best packaged item I've received from anywhere for anything!)

Nick Hilton · Status: Offline

ALL the BIRDS of the WORLD

I've been looking forward to getting my hands on this book for some time! Arrived yesterday and I have to say it is impressive.

Even the packaging was a bit special.

The quality is excellent (I have a number of books from Lynx Edicions - I usually get them a knock down prices at the Bird Fair) and sometimes the quality of paper does not feel the best, but this book is spot on.

It is a bit of a beast but comes with a very useful bookmark and a bonus free download checklist of the one-country endemic birds of the world.

The list of artists is also impressive, including a number of my favourites; Chris Rose, Jan Wilczur and Ian Lewington.

Special book.

James Walsh · Status: Offline

Ian McKerchar wrote:

Here's something much closer too home.
Two superb books on 130 years of observations at Rostherne Mere by Steve Barbour, Bill Bellamy and Tom Wall, wonderfully principally illustrated by Ray Scally.
Perfect for Christmas surely!

Yes, these are certainly top stocking fillers for any birder! So many quality memories of birding Rostherne Mere in my formative years, especially the wildfowl - Smew, Ring-necked Duck, Ferruginous Duck, Red-crested Pochard, Red-breasted Goose, Garganey and Green-winged Teal all picked up through the huge telescope, and also some great days working around the nature reserve. It's very inspirational when books are published about sites that you already know and love, I can't wait to read these books.

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

Here's something much closer too home.

Two superb books on 130 years of observations at Rostherne Mere by Steve Barbour, Bill Bellamy and Tom Wall, wonderfully principally illustrated by Ray Scally.

Perfect for Christmas surely!

Nick Hilton · Status: Offline

3 little Christmas presents to add to the collection;

Helm ID guide: Antpittas and Gnateaters, comprehensive book, love the plates
Lars Jonsson: Winter Birds, stunning artwork, really interesting text
The Art of Lars Jonsson: Birds and Light, the artwork is just so impressive, its an absolute joy just to thumb through

Of course, I've got no actual shelf room for any of these books and I'm at least 2 years behind in reading the books I already have!!

I blame Paul Heaton, you go to one of his talks and he irresponsibly leaves all these nice books lying around the place and you can't help being tempted. The wifes banned me from attending any more of his talks !!

Tim Wilcox · Status: Offline

Theres a new book on urban gulls and our relatiionship with them. Reviewed in Saturdays Guardain Review its called Landfill by Tim Dee. Hes very much one of your New Nature writers and a bit of an acquired taste but Ill be giving it a look. Its published by Little Toller £16

Tim Wilcox · Status: Offline

Paul A Brown wrote:

If you are a subscriber to Birdguides and or Birdwatch it is available for £115

Great thanks for that Paul. I am a Birdguides subscriber. Free UK postage too. For those who are not you can get it for £119

-- Edited by Tim Wilcox on Monday 30th of July 2018 09:43:35 AM

JOHN TYMON · Status: Offline

Just for interest sake one of my shots of Black Redstart at The Little Orme is featured in the new guide thats being featured below :) which was a honor for me to allow them to use it :) So Mancy birders is represented in there somewhere :)

-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Sunday 29th of July 2018 07:59:42 PM

Paul A Brown · Status: Offline

If you are a subscriber to Birdguides and or Birdwatch it is available for £115

Tim Wilcox · Status: Offline

Paul Heaton wrote:

Well... The new Handbook of the Western Palearctic photographic guide By Hadoram Shirihai & Lars Svensson tis a mighty collection of wonderful photos , going to take a while to fully peruse and take in all it has to offer, the price seems to be between £130 and £115 on various offers, and maybe cheaper still at the bird fair in August.

You can never have enough books or new information on birds .

Keep Birding

Where have you seen it for £115 Paul? £150 seems to be the rrp and £130 (plus postage) from NHBS is the cheapest Ive seen.

NB all this two volume work is just on passerines

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

Well... The new Handbook of the Western Palearctic photographic guide By Hadoram Shirihai & Lars Svensson tis a mighty collection of wonderful photos , going to take a while to fully peruse and take in all it has to offer, the price seems to be between £130 and £115 on various offers, and maybe cheaper still at the bird fair in August.

You can never have enough books or new information on birds .

Keep Birding

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

Mike, its's a good book as are other bird names books including Biographies and Birdwatchers Barbara and Richard Mearns ,The Oxford Book of British names W B Lockwood and Whose Bird Bo Beolens and Michael Watkins

Mike Crawley · Status: Offline

I haven't read every post on this thread but during a quick scan I didn't see:-

Mrs Moreau's Warbler by Stephen Moss

If you have any interest in bird names and their origins, this might be the book for you.
I'm certainly enjoying reading it and have recommended it to a good number of friends.

BTO Review - www.bto.org/about-birds/book-reviews/mrs-moreaus-warbler-how-birds-got-their-names

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

Swifts in a Tower David Lack, has long been a difficult book to get, first edition prices been a tad high but NHBS booksellers have with a lottery grant published a New Fully updated edition and its excellent.

As for the forth coming Birds of the Western Palearctic 2 volume bt Shirihai Hadoram er al awaiting delivery of this promised to be exciting photographic guide .

Keep Birding

James Walsh · Status: Offline

Note that the book "Fruitful Futures: Imagining Pomona" is now available FREE online as an e-book

https://issuu.com/livinginfutureecologies/docs/fruitful_futures_imagining_pomona

"Fruitful Futures: Imagining Pomona" is a book about Pomona on Salford Docklands, the result of a number of years of work looking at this very interesting urban landscape from an ecological point of view, a collaboration of 30 people, ecologists, local people, academics and students, each sharing their own view of the site, from it's very interesting heritage as Cornbrook Pleasure Gardens and Pomona Docks (the Guinness Docks) to the recent years as an "unofficial peoples' nature reserve" to visions of what Pomona Docks could be

There is still huge interest in the heritage, present and future of this area, and this was shown in the big crowd that turned up for the launch of this book in October 2016

Thank you to all my co-authors on this book, including Luke Blazejewski (Nature In Salford), Professor Stuart Marsden (Manchester Metropolitan University) and Hayley Flynn (Skyliner Tours) and to Gaia for publishing this book and making it available for free online

https://youtu.be/IzJhJ2QLWNU

Rob Creek · Status: Offline

Nick Hilton wrote:

Took delivery of the new "Gulls of the World, A Photographic Guide, Klaus Malling Olsen" in the week. I've only had a general thumb through but really looks excellent, its a good size (even potentially for taking into the field, its smaller than its 2004 sister guide).

There is a decent review on Dutch Birding, they point out a few issues but generally a favourable review, its all relative !

https://www.dutchbirding.nl/recensies/1445/gulls_of_the_world_a_photographic_guide

Not had the opportunity to do much Gulling this week due to the atrocious conditions around Manchester, and making sure the restaurants got their stuff, and also a pre-planned (weeks ago) trip to Cornwall yesterday evening was abandoned yesterday afternoon, we gave it every chance but whilst monitoring the M5 and A30 Bodmin cameras whilst we were at work... it quickly became clear that the next wave of South West snow was a bad one and ultimately closed long stretches of our route and made it impossible to travel. We decided not to go. Wise decision.

Looks like I've missed out on Glaucous, Iceland, Ring-billed and Kumliens Gulls, aswell as other good birds down there inbetween jobs on my mates property. But every cloud... after reading your post Nick, I took the chance on this book and ordered one the other day, it came today and what a fantastic book it is.
Obviously the vast difference that exists in a lot of Gulls, within the same species, has to be taken into account, but many of the photos used are excellent quality and depict the features explained in the text. It shows images of all ages and stages of each Gull species and subspecies, and I'm in no doubt that this book will get worn fairly quickly!
Money well spent at £26.93.

p.s. I'm impressed with the Pacific Gull, the bill is unreal wink

Steven Nelson · Status: Offline

James, I would have been part of that small group on the main path on the Friday afternoon watching it feed in the small wooded area. I went back the next day (Saturday) and remember the huge queue of people all the way back to the car park by the afternoon but I got there early in the morning and got to watch it again through the fence with a few others. Just like you Id never heard of a Black-faced Bunting!

Nick Hilton · Status: Offline

Took delivery of the new "Gulls of the World, A Photographic Guide, Klaus Malling Olsen" in the week. I've only had a general thumb through but really looks excellent, its a good size (even potentially for taking into the field, its smaller than its 2004 sister guide).

There is a decent review on Dutch Birding, they point out a few issues but generally a favourable review, its all relative !

https://www.dutchbirding.nl/recensies/1445/gulls_of_the_world_a_photographic_guide

James Walsh · Status: Offline

Here is a sneak preview from the book "The Big 400"

FIRST FOR BRITAIN
This is the one
The Stone Roses

The events of March 1994 in Greater Manchester are now the word of birding folklore

A first-winter male BLACK-FACED BUNTING graced Pennington Flash Country Park from 9th March 24th April 1994

Its very poetic that, after dashing around the British Isles visiting some of the top nature reserves, and islands such as Scilly, Orkney and Shetland, the joint rarest bird of The Big 400 was on my own doorstep in the Manchester area

It cannot be over-stated how huge an episode this was on the UK birding scene, it was that huge that when I received the first message on my Birdnet pager I had never even heard of the species, Black-faced Bunting

I looked at the message, my head started spinning and I wondered if the message was supposed to actually say In Greater Manchester a Black-headed Bunting

Either way, I raced towards Pennington Flash in a Joyrider-style as it seemed that this might be the best way to discover the truth of the situation!

I recall arriving to find a small group of birders gathering along the main middle pathway staring at what looked like a makeshift feeding station situated along the border of a hedgerow, and there it was! Feeding amongst the Goldfinches, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Reed Buntings, Bramblings, Robins and Dunnocks - a first-winter male Black-faced Bunting

Situated on the identification spectrum midway between Dunnock, Reed Bunting and House Sparrow, it just looked like a Rare Bunting

I was lucky to be on the spot when the news first broke so I managed to side-step the massive crowds on the first Saturday and Sunday when, literally, thousands of birders arrived, putting Manchester/Lancashire on the birding map

The twitch turned into a media frenzy, made Sky News and the cheesy Good Morning television, where Eamonn Holmes turned into a jibbering wreck trying to anchor a live broadcast from Pennington Flash

There have been 5 subsequent UK records, three one-day birds (two in the North-east, one on Lundy) and two on Shetland Isles (one on Fair Isle in 2001, one on Bressay in 2016), and this species remains a real mega

Should another turn up at a feeding station in Northern England it would certainly attract a similar sized crowd of birders

James Walsh · Status: Offline

THE BIG 400 - A Personal Journey To 400 UK Bird Species

Available now on Amazon Kindle

James Walsh aka The Mancunian Birder becomes the first person to publish a book about seeing four hundred bird species within the UK, an almost James Bond-esque adventure of planes, trains, boats & automobiles from Manchester to the Scilly Isles to Kent to Shetland to Mull & many locations around the UK inbetween

I started birding when I was eight, winning the Young Ornithologist of the Year award in 1985 & after more than 30 years of birding I managed to reach 400 UK bird species just before my 40th birthday says James

Back in the day, in the 1980s, birders had a reputation as anoraks, but these days birding is a big industry & superstar birders are the new rock n roll stars, with even Hollywood recreating the pioneering spirit of the birding experience for the big screen in The Big Year

There are several books that have a similar theme to this one, mainly accounts of a Big Year, & James Hanlons Birding In The Fast Lane is an account of a dash to 500 UK species, whereas this book is more of a Mancunian mooch, a smooth, reflective look at the UK birding scene from the 1980s to the present day, a celebration of the UKs ecosystem & a great advert for wildlife and conservation in general; this book should take UK birding to the next level

The book contains personal accounts of many classic twitches such as the Pennington Flash Black-faced Bunting in 1994 (a first for Britain near Manchester), Scilly season and journeys to the Wilsons Triangle and the Nottingham Triangle!

This book is proudly Northern centric, with chapters entitled The Madchester Era, Magnetic North and We Love The North, James says It is time the view from up North is heard on the birding scene

James says Seeing 400 bird species within the UK has always been the classic target for UK birders & I feel honoured to be able to publish my own personal story of reaching this target

This book was launched at the Rutland Bird Fair 2017, the UKs largest birding festival, and the North West Bird Fair 2017, Martin Mere, Lancashire in November 2017"

-- Edited by James Walsh on Wednesday 10th of January 2018 10:56:41 PM

David Morris · Status: Offline

Been a while since anyone posted on this thread! My wife got me a copy of Birds in Pictures by Markus Varesvuo for Christnas, which is a stunning photography book. Haven't had time to fully digest it yet (it comes with descriptions of some of the species photographed), but I'm definitely impressed with it based on a few flick throughs yesterday.

-- Edited by David Morris on Tuesday 26th of December 2017 09:48:08 AM

vic chatterton · Status: Offline

Just bought HBW and BirdLife International " Illustrated checklist of the Birds of the World Vol1" (the 2nd and final part due in October this year) Had seen rave reviews and must agree with them, a definite 10/10. Every bird in the world illustrated including known subspecies with accompanying taxonomic notes and distribution plus maps. A bulky 900 pages. I ordered the book directly from Lynx Edicions in Spain 145 euros for each volume and postage free. Considerably cheaper than UK - £155 from NHBS and don't even bother looking at Amazon. Book was received in only one week from date of order and was packaged better than most breakable goods are.

Mike Passant · Status: Offline

Field Guide to the Birds of Colombia

Even for those not immediately contemplating a trip to Colombia the new 2nd edition Field Guide to the Birds of Colombia (McMullen and Donegan) published by Fundacion ProAves is a little gem of compactness and well worth £25.

With 1921 species now recorded within its borders, Colombia boasts the largest avifauna of any country, just ahead of Peru.

The previous Princeton publication by Hilty and Brown weighed almost 3 lbs, and in the hot thin air conditions of the high Paramo must have felt like lugging around a brick. The new guide weighs less than half the Hilty and Brown guide, and is a sure pointer for the need for Peru and Ecuador, (the other countries in the top trio of birding destinations, with excellent but hefty field guides) to follow suit.

The plates are not as good as those of Guy Tudor in the old fieldguide, and the taxonomic order seems somewhat jumbled for those more used to traditional treatment. Also from a personal point of view I dislike the changes of name for the 2 Pittasoma Antpittas, here changed to" Gnatpittas" and for the 3 Mionectes flycatchers now named as "Fruit-Tyrants" (as they have a special liking for fruit as well as insects), though in every sense they are quite obviously flycatchers, and are placed in the plates as such among the other 207 flycatcher species covered in the book. (Yes,- you read that correctly; imagine that lot turning up at Wigan Flashes!)

Whilst having had a minor grumble, overall the book is very good, and gives an idea as to the vocalisations and distribution in terms of altitudinal and geographic locale.

Mike Passant

Paul A Brown · Status: Offline

Recieved a copy of the new helm wildfowl book yesterday. I was a bit apprehensive having only seen the illustration on the cover! and with the book being illustrated by the author who's work I was not familiar with, (thinking of the helm warbler guide). But all my fears were dispelled on opening the book, the plates are all very good to excellent. The number of hybrids covered is also highly desirable. Altogether an excellent publication that I would highly recommend to all you flash moochers.

Si thee on't ruck

Paul

Craig Higson · Status: Offline

Funnily enough Paul, I was looking to see if I could find a copy the other day. I originally started looking for the BWP concise for a friend. When I couldn't find that I started looking for the DVD which I couldn't find either. I presume its been discontinued due to all the taxonomic changes that have happened in the last 10 or so years - I must admit that my BWP concise feels a bit out of date. But, you'd think it quite easy to update the info on a DVD.

-- Edited by Craig Higson on Thursday 6th of November 2014 09:36:40 PM

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

So the New Birding Frontiers Challenge series AUTUMN, ermm.

At first was a tad disappointed with it, the QR Codes bits seem to be naff and I cannot get them to work, but its slowly growing on me, I think its a little sparse on the information, but having said that it makes you rethink and double check a lot of things,
you do have to have lots of other books to look through, and I have a few, so thats good, but it makes you go online and check things out as well, perhaps not worth £16, but put it on your yuletide list, Page 7 explains how we can all be Great Birder quickly
wink

oh on a tangent does anyone know why the BWP DVd ROM is no longer available ?

keep Birding

Paul A Brown · Status: Offline

Received my copy last week, some of the new plates are excellent and the much expanded text is a big bonus on the old macmillan guide which like john is one of my favourite books. One slight niggle ( only my own humble opinion )is that like a lot of the new Helm field guides they seem to use a lot of old plates.

JOHN TYMON · Status: Offline

I know its been posted before but The Helm Guide to Bird Identification out next week is an update of my favourite all time bird book, I would say it will be a great update and useful guide to the harder to ID Birds as the first issue of this book was 25 years ago, now includes birds like Yellow Legged Gull and Caspian gull, its not a field guide as such its a helpful guide to the birds that often cause confusion in the field.Its expensive for a paperback,but 400 pages seems a worthwhile investment and I will be having one for my birthday in April
smile

Dennis atherton · Status: Offline

I just bought The Warbler Guide by Tom Stephenson and Scott White. For the united states area. A superb book. Unique in its structure. For example each bird has about 15 or more photographs from different angles. No illustrations just all photographs. From the angle you would most likely see the bird. ie from underneath usually. Also a cracking chart section showing firstly a close up of every single warblers head on one double page for quick comparisons. The same with every bird from. 45° then the side views. And from underneath. Brilliant. And also a quick undertail coverts guide. A very nice book. I like it a lot and also just £12 on amazon at present. Also got a new small field guide to the birds of texas. Not a great book to be honest but a good small keep with you field guide. Im hoping for big fallout on high island. Texas this spring smile

-- Edited by Dennis atherton on Saturday 18th of January 2014 10:13:22 AM