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What's your favourite field guide? (1 Viewer)

timtagel

timtagel

Balintore Birder
An old chestnut, but what the heck.

I have loads of bird books, but it's not easy finding one small enough and comprehensive enough to use when out in the field - ie one that easily slips in the coat pocket.

Of course, the Collins Bird Guide is arguably the best, but it's too big for my pockets anyway, so I use the Collins Pocket Guide and the diminutive but excellent Kingfisher Birds of Britain (Gooders) - don't laugh it's not a junior edition. I love the clear layout and text. The drawings are ok - not up there with Collins.

Which title is in your pocket when out on a bird watch.

Please, no snobby remarks from birders who are above carrying books with them ;-)
 
Kaufman's is the one I use the most. It is convenient in size and although it is not as detailed as Sibley's it seems to point out markings and descriptions that are helpful.I also like the look of the digitally enhanced photos over the washed out water color sketch look. Once I'm done with the kaufman I might later look at SIbley's and Petersons for more info.
 
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My Collins Guide is always in the car. I carry with me the Birdwatcher's Pocket Guide. Slim and light, easy to carry.

D
 
Collins ... i'd really recommend one of those plastic sleeve covers as well ... my copy is looking a bit worse for wear now though as its been rained on & sellotaped up a few times & has loads of odd notes / id stuff from BF / scraps of paper taped into it

but still serves its purpose as well as ever
 
Karl J said:
Collins ... i'd really recommend one of those plastic sleeve covers as well ... my copy is looking a bit worse for wear now though as its been rained on & sellotaped up a few times & has loads of odd notes / id stuff from BF / scraps of paper taped into it

but still serves its purpose as well as ever
Click to expand...

I have the bog-standard RSPB pocket book. It is very good BUT it should be exclusively British Birds. Am I likely to attempt to identify an Egyptian Vulture in Croydon? Also it does not have a 'and can be confused with...' box where it shows you similar species and differences, willow warblers and chiff-chaff is an excellent example of it's use. It also lists it's size in feet and inches, what you really want is a comparison against a robin/mallard/swan etc.
 
paulwfromtheden said:
I have the bog-standard RSPB pocket book. It is very good BUT it should be exclusively British Birds. Am I likely to attempt to identify an Egyptian Vulture in Croydon? Also it does not have a 'and can be confused with...' box where it shows you similar species and differences, willow warblers and chiff-chaff is an excellent example of it's use. It also lists it's size in feet and inches, what you really want is a comparison against a robin/mallard/swan etc.
Click to expand...

Exactly. I'm surprised that Collins haven't done a slimmed down version with just those birds likely to be seen in Britain, they have all the illustrations already just need to include those regularly seen and have the text in larger format I'm sure would be a big seller in a more filed guide friendly format.
 
lvn600 said:
Kaufman's is the one I use the most. It is convenient in size and although it is not as detailed as Sibley's it seems to point out markings and descriptions that are helpful.I also like the look of the digitally enhanced photos over the washed out water color sketch look. Once I'm done with the kaufman I might later look at SIbley's and Petersons for more info.
Click to expand...

I've got 'em all but carry Kaufman's for the same reason, it fits in almost any back pocket and is a decent field guide. I also use Sibley's but normally not Petersons as I think National Geographic is much better and even sometimes carry National Geographic when on extended, out of state birding trips.

Jaeger near Chicago
 
john barclay said:
The small & large Collins is a shear joy.

One day this book will be bettered...but when and by whom?

John.
Click to expand...

Good question John, but first by themselves.

JanJ
 
The Collins in fantastic. The pictures are incredibly accurate not only in plumage details, but in the stance and structure of the birds- something that a lot of other guides don't seem to quite get right.

I always carry it in a big plastic wallet, so its still in quite good nick.

Ric
 
Jaeger01 said:
I've got 'em all but carry Kaufman's for the same reason, it fits in almost any back pocket and is a decent field guide. I also use Sibley's but normally not Petersons as I think National Geographic is much better and even sometimes carry National Geographic when on extended, out of state birding trips.
Click to expand...

Jaeger near Chicago
Click to expand...
I picked up The National audubon Sibley's version but found out later that it was the National Geographic that someone had suggested I get.-Never even looked at National Geographic-I'll have to check it out. Peterson's sometimes points things out that none of the other guides do although I use it the least.
 
I carry the Nat'l Geographic Field Guide. . . I actually own 3: 1 for my pack, 1 for my car and one to give to the next newbie I meet.

Borders (US bookstore chain) has the hardbacks on clearance/bargain bookshelf for $7.99. The cover price is 3 times that, and in the same store the paperback version sells for $21.99. I even bought one to put in the local library in honor of my mentors.
 
I think the collins guide is easy enough to use in the field. OK its not pocket sized but its still small enough to carry.
 
Before Collins I had a little RSPB book and The MacMillan Guide to Bird Identification (Harris, Tucker & Vinnicombe). I only ever saw this book on sale once, when I bought it. It just has confusion species likely to be seen in Britain and has a lot of text on how to distinguish them plus annotated illustrations. I still take it with me, for a second opinion.
 
paulwfromtheden said:
I have the bog-standard RSPB pocket book. It is very good BUT it should be exclusively British Birds. Am I likely to attempt to identify an Egyptian Vulture in Croydon? Also it does not have a 'and can be confused with...' box where it shows you similar species and differences, willow warblers and chiff-chaff is an excellent example of it's use. It also lists it's size in feet and inches, what you really want is a comparison against a robin/mallard/swan etc.
Click to expand...

The problem is, how does one define a British bird? How many times does it have to have been recorded to count? So any book trying to be exclusively British would have to make a lot of totally arbitrary decisions. Do you let in the Hoopoe? The Nutcracker? Where does one draw the line?
 
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