Just had a quick look at this one using the Amazon preview function. My first impressions are good - it looks better than the British Birds guide I commented on earlier. Seems to have better descriptive text and less confusing layout plus more info per species than the British Birds one which has now been relegated to the back of the bookshelf.
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No one on their death bed ever said they wished they'd spent more time at work. http://bitsnbirds.blogspot.co.uk
I read your post Paul and had to check this book out online, and after browsing the sample pages I had to get a copy. I'm a sucker for a good field guide and like you said, you can never have enough books! It arrived today whilst I was at work and I've not put it down in an hour and half since getting home, it's a damn fine photographic guide as is the Hume / Still / Swash guide which I've constantly got my head in, I never get bored of good reference books and I can see this is going to be no exception. First page I turned to...Caspian Gull (with good reason as I've been watching a particular Gull for the last 2 days) Oh dear, the Gull obsession continues!
Just one thing I noticed, does your copy look as though it's got a sticky glossy label on the back cover (with a Great Spotted Cuckoo) rather than a smooth plain cover?? Cheers Rob
One question that I am asked a lot, is what is the best bird book to get ? the answer is simple. Whatever works for you .
We all have different levels, and have different views on birding , I love Kenn 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'.
We all have to find our own level and use the best equipment that is right for the individual The Collins guide is said to be the bible for birders , The new Photographic guide is a great support book to the collins, yet I know birders who now say "oh you dont need pictures the Advanced bird guide by Nils Van Duivendijk is all you need.
I believe you need them all, as many bird books as you can get, they all have good bits and bad bits, ( as do birders)
The internet has also changed birding, a website now for bird ID had people putting photos of woodpigeon asking is this a woodpigeon ? they have no time for looking it up, they just want to know straight away, and who can blame them.
Met a birder on new years day, who is hoping to get to a 100 birds this year, yet they have Dusky thrush, Blue Rock thrush and Siberian Accentor, now who remembers, the Old Shell Bird guide all the rare birds were at the back, and it was thought you had to see all the common birds first, those in the know had a back of the shell guide list ?
So Bird books good or bad ! just get the ones you like.
I'm not too familiar with some of the 'technical jargon' but if a book devotes a page or so to providing a glossary I enjoy learning as I go - part of the pleasure of using an ID book. I have been thinking about getting this book but agree with Craig's disappointment on this - much better to be challenged I think.
I received this book for xmas and, to be honest, have mixed feelings. Whilst I agree it is an excellent id aid, the authors state they have tried to avoid technical jargon, and indeed, much to my annoyance they have replaced things like e.g. supercillium with 'eyestripe above the eye' or similar variation. They also talk in great detail about primaries visible beyond tertials, but I haven't seen it called primary projection. Both the latter are (or should that now be 'were') basic birding terms. Why stop using them, especially when you continue to talk in depth about coverts, tertials, moult strategies etc etc etc? Maybe I'm just being an old whinge bag, maybe I'm being elitist. Maybe I'm just stuck in my ways, but it really REALLY annoys me when I'm reading it.
-- Edited by Craig Higson on Friday 6th of January 2017 01:46:33 PM
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On 24th August I responded to a lift share for the Royal Tern in Kerry. The book was there was on the back seat. I turned to the Royal Tern page and was instantly impressed to see the comparison between the American and African races, not only that Elegant and Lesser Crested Terns are depicted opposite. I'll be in Andalucia next week and if I encounter an orange billed tern that'll be my first point of reference as there is a chance of all three species. I won't be taking the book though, it's too heavy, I'll photograph the pages and store on my phone.
Another plus, for me, is that because it depicts all the megas on the British & Irish list they are photographs of the actual birds that I saw, thus doubling as photo album.
I've never entertained a photographic guide before, but I was sold on this. Excellent graphics, well presented, very informative - job's a good 'un. £13.57 on Amazon, free delivery, no extra purchase necessary.
Have heard of issues with the range maps being out of date, through no fault of the authors.
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It is an excellent book, and as Richard said the only fault could be its size, not easy to carry in the field, however, most of us have smart phones nowadays, and you don't need the whole book, so just photo the man pages you need and keep them on your phone .
I have today received through the post 'Britain's Dragonflies' which is one of the WILDguides series, ie. the same series as this photographic bird book. Same format and indexing etc., an altogether excellent guide which seems par for the course after reading customer reviews for the several other books in the series.
After reading several posts on this Britain's birds book, I waited till one copy showed in one of our local waterstones stores so I can take a proper look at it myself. I'm not normally a fan on photographic guides and I'm very paticular on what it contains (although I do (or did) possess a copy of the Collins bto guide) but this new book is way way better then my expectations as it also contains all the rare birds needed of which the photos are as good as the pictures for the common birds. I have to say I can only reflect the praise that others have posted here, it's absolutely fabulous. I've never seen a book quite like it- a bird plumage and pose added for every possible scenario. I only glanced at it and I wanted it, and the best part it is that it didn't cost me a penny, (but that was because I had a voucher to cover for the cost!!).
Well spotted Ivan Ellison, many thanks for the original post. The only snag is that it's a little heavy to carry around but it's perfect for any essential and general research needed etc.
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It's a very impressive book indeed Tim and yes that's why I likened it to the Crossley's guide being a photographic guide rather than artist plates. I read a professional review of it online last week before I got it, and one of its selling points was that each and every photo used in the book was of top quality with regards to the angle and jizz of the bird so that they were all beneficial to the reader from an identification point of view, as opposed to other photographic guides where useless images have been used. I have to agree, looking at the vast majority of images in this book they have captured the birds in top drawer 'momentary' positions shall we say. Couple that with the design lay out and the other info alongside it, it really is a good book. £16.99 well spent!!! I got it before the special offer birdguides email came through but I ain't about to let a couple of quid bother me.
Just of interest, there is another Collins guide due out in a few months, again with the Arctic Tern on the cover but it is strictly British breeding birds only! Cheers
I got mine for £13.57 on Amazon and free postage after adding another item to bring the order to over £20. The Crossley ID Guide Britain and Ireland was the pioneering new photo-based British guide and has an inventive and unusual approach to digitally arranging many views of the same species in a typical habitat setting. What it lacks though compared to the new Rob Hume, Robert Still et. al are the id features in text, the more detailed and up to date distribution maps, species and legislation status and just the sheer number of rare species covered alongside the more common species - even the Tufted Puffin. The photos are bigger and brighter than the Crossley ID too with pin-sharp printing. It's a triumph. Keep it alongside your Collins!
-- Edited by Tim Wilcox on Tuesday 16th of August 2016 10:31:03 AM
The book was featured on BBC Radio 4's Today this morning. Rob Hume and illustrator Ian Griffiths were interviewed. They tried to make it an adversarial photography v illustration piece of course but it was still interesting.
-- Edited by Tim Wilcox on Monday 15th of August 2016 11:46:16 AM
Britains birds- an identification guide to the birds of Britain and Ireland . Published as part of the wildguides series. ISBN 978-0-691-15889-1
Ps. For the gull experts there are over 40 pages of photos for you.
-- Edited by Ivan Ellison on Thursday 28th of July 2016 09:29:39 PM
For those who may be interested. A new British and Irish bird identification book has just come out. All photographs of every plumage and flight images. Also good comparisons of confusion species. Well put together but a bit big and heavy for sticking in your pocket. Good reference when you get home though. If you buy a copy a small amount goes to the rspb. Also see if you can spot a picture of a GM bird that graced us with its presence a couple of years ago. Published by wildguides and priced at £19.99.
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