Pipits and wagtails (1 Viewer)

Stephen Dunstan

Registered User

• Jun 21, 2003

• #1

Just wondered what anybody who has this thinks of it. I saw one review on birdbooklist which said sonograms took up a decent percentage of the book. For the average Biritsh birder how much does it add to the available ID literature?

Regards,

Stephen.

 

Paul Rule

Well-known member

• Jun 21, 2003

• #2

Hi Stephen

Well this average birder had to look up sonograms on Google, and came up with a load of ultra-sound pictures of un-born babies which adds absolutely nothing, or am I just being thick?

Paul

 

phyllosc

Well-known member

• Jun 21, 2003

• #3

It is a superb book. Very detailed with execellent plates showing birds in a variety of plumages - eg. first winter, adult fresh and worn etc. plus racial variations.

The authors seem to take a fairly conservative line with the taxonomy of the group, which I for one don't object too.

Whether you would consider it useful for the average British birder depends on what on how you define one of these individuals. However, if take bird id seriously and do the occasional trip abroad then this book would find a welcome place on the birder's book shelf.

Dave

 

Stephen Dunstan

Registered User

• Jun 21, 2003

• #4

Paul - well I thought in this context 'sonogram' = something vaguely resembling a lie detector output showing a bird song as a 'frequency graph'. If I had the wrong word or this description is no help then apologies for being thick myself.

Dave - thanks for the input. Obviously 'average British birder' is subjective but your comments are very helpful to me personally.

Stephen.

 

Paul Rule

Well-known member

• Jun 21, 2003

• #5

Steven

No it's me I'm afraid. Though it would also apear to be American terminology for an Ultra-sound scan.

Paul

 

stevo

Well-known member

• Jun 21, 2003

• #6

Hi Stephen

I would have thought that without a CD companion to the book ,having sonograms on their own would`nt be a lot of help.I don`t know why publishers don`t include a CD of the birds call/songs with the book it would make life a lot easier.

Regards Stevo.

 

MikeMules

Well-known member

• Jun 22, 2003

• #7

Hi Stephen, I think I saw a good (as in thorough) review of this book on the fatbirder website (a link to the site is on the birdforum homepage).

 

Charles Harper

Régisseur

• Jun 22, 2003

• #8

JUST got my copy today, almost as I type.

Eleven pages of text, for instance, on Buff-bellied Pipit: ID info on all subspecies, range maps on all subspecies, descriptions of all plumages, geographical variation, specimen measurements, 8 sonagrams-- song strophes of each ssp, calls of each ssp. Main plate shows ten adults, summer and winter, all ssp. 12 photos in the back of the book in various plumages from various places, with i.d. notes. Plentiful text. Cannot verify accuracy, haven't read it yet.

More than you ever wanted to know about pipits and wagtails, at two dollars a species.

 

Stephen Dunstan

Registered User

• Jun 22, 2003

• #9

Thanks to Mike and Charles for your further information, which is very helpful.

Stephen.

 

Swift

Well-known member

• Jun 24, 2003

• #10

Stephen i always think that books like this should come with a cd instead/as well as all the sonograms as that would be more usefull for birders.
Swift

 

Last edited: Jun 26, 2003