alancairns
Well-known member
tufty said:
Thanks for that. I'll get it then.
Alan
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Best Bird Book (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Bushcrafter
- Start date
Thanks for that. I'll get it then.
Alan
Try looking in the bookshops where they sell books off cheap eg. the one at Carsington Reservoir. I purchased the Wild Life Trust book 'A Field Guide to the BIRDS OF BRITAIN AND IRELAND' which is organised by habitat and written by Mark Golley for £3.99 (Price on the book £14.99). They also had the pocket version which is exactly the same book only smaller and handier to carry around for £2.99 (Price on the book £9.99).
Wildlife Trust bookshop for birds which may be of interest. http://www.wildlifebooks.com/birdwatching/birdwatching.htm
Wildlife Trust bookshop for birds which may be of interest. http://www.wildlifebooks.com/birdwatching/birdwatching.htm
rin
Well-known member
Lars Jonson for me, excellent book, better pictures and descriptions than some of the others that I have. I too have been buying many older books off ebay but nothing to beat this one.
Got the Collins when I joined RSPB and bought other Collins books but still love the Lars best to date. Not too heavy to wander about with.
Happy hunting.
Catherine
Got the Collins when I joined RSPB and bought other Collins books but still love the Lars best to date. Not too heavy to wander about with.
Happy hunting.
Catherine
Forest Knights
Wilderness, Wildlife & Warrior Arts
Can you recommend any more detailed bird books?
Birds by habitat and Bird biology etc.
Birds by habitat and Bird biology etc.
martin kitching
Obsessed seawatcher
john barclay said:
Presumably the 'Larks' book is on the way as Pipits and Wagtails (which I would agree is an absolutely stunning book) was originally going to be 'Larks, Pipits & Wagtails'
martin
deborah4
Well-known member
Best Book
I was using Collins as a field book but found a book recently in a second hand shop which is brilliant: The Hamlyn Guide to Birds of Britain and Europe, Bertel Bruun, illustrated by Arthur Singer, Hamlyn Publishing Group 1978
The book is full of maps, comparative size drawings, call descriptions, different flight pattern images, silouette drawings, key ID factors, migration factors and seasonal distribution. It is a compact and solid but small paperback ideal for field work. :news:
Not only that, but because its second hand, I don't mind it getting mud splats, pencil scribblings and everything else we subject our bird books to in the middle of a 'birding moment'! :bounce:
The only problem is this edition is thirty years old and out of date re: population numbers I suspect, so I will invest in an updated version at some point.
I was using Collins as a field book but found a book recently in a second hand shop which is brilliant: The Hamlyn Guide to Birds of Britain and Europe, Bertel Bruun, illustrated by Arthur Singer, Hamlyn Publishing Group 1978
The book is full of maps, comparative size drawings, call descriptions, different flight pattern images, silouette drawings, key ID factors, migration factors and seasonal distribution. It is a compact and solid but small paperback ideal for field work. :news:
Not only that, but because its second hand, I don't mind it getting mud splats, pencil scribblings and everything else we subject our bird books to in the middle of a 'birding moment'! :bounce:
The only problem is this edition is thirty years old and out of date re: population numbers I suspect, so I will invest in an updated version at some point.
Frogbad
Well-known member
I like the RSPB Complete Birds of Britain and Europe by Rob Hume (Hardcover). Amazon are doing it for £17.50 instead of £25 incl free delivery, however I got it from a "real" shop WH Smith at 50% off - a bargain.
It includes gorgeous photographs instead of illustrations which I personally prefer, and find easy. It crams tons of useful info on each page.
I think that this combined with the aforementioned Collins guide is a force to be reckoned with.
I also like the RSPB Pocket Birds - which is a slimmed down pocket version of the above monsterous tome.
It includes gorgeous photographs instead of illustrations which I personally prefer, and find easy. It crams tons of useful info on each page.
I think that this combined with the aforementioned Collins guide is a force to be reckoned with.
I also like the RSPB Pocket Birds - which is a slimmed down pocket version of the above monsterous tome.
Chris Oates
Why does a Black-headed Gull have a brown head...
In case anyone hasn't looked at Amazon UK
they are selling Collins Bird guide - Britain & Europe for £11.89
and Collins Field Guide - Birds songs & calls of Britain & northern Europe
on two CDs for £17.50
they are selling Collins Bird guide - Britain & Europe for £11.89
and Collins Field Guide - Birds songs & calls of Britain & northern Europe
on two CDs for £17.50
Field guides
The collins is I suppose as good as it gets so buying more won't help.
The best thing to do now is improve on your calls and songs, vastly under-estimated as an identification tool. Start by learning ten of the most common and you'll begin to notice the others and gradually pick them off, building up your repertoire.
Stephen Christopher
www.catalanbirdtours.com (from 12.1.06)
The collins is I suppose as good as it gets so buying more won't help.
The best thing to do now is improve on your calls and songs, vastly under-estimated as an identification tool. Start by learning ten of the most common and you'll begin to notice the others and gradually pick them off, building up your repertoire.
Stephen Christopher
www.catalanbirdtours.com (from 12.1.06)
Last edited:
DavidP
Well-known member
Chris Oates said:
Check out http://www.uk.bol.com for the Collins bird guide
Its selling for 4.99 at the moment.
Just starting up again so my books are from the late 80's early 90's. Main ones I use to use are Hamlyn Birds of Britain and Europe by Bertel Bruun and the Shell Guide to the Birds of Britain and Ireland James Ferguson-Lees, Ian Willis, J T R Sharrock. The Collins book would appear very popular, is this the book to have now or am I ok with what I've got? |:S|
Oh the shell guide what a cracking little book that is. My copy was loaned to someone who obviously wasn't a friend as I never got it back. I think Bill that you have to think about getting the collins guide, the paperback version is available hereWild Bill said:
www.uk.bol.com
at £4.99
You're right there Bill. If you think that you've got enough books on birds that's an admission that you haven't :'DWild Bill said:Thanks Keith for your vote of confidence on the Shell book, it is nice. Sorry you didn't get yours back. Wasn't me who borrowed it.|| I think I will take your advice and get the Collins book. You never can have enough books on a subject!
Cheers,
Bill
trealawboy
Well-known member
As well as Collins and the MacMillans I'd also recommend a look at Dominic Couzens - Identifying Birds by Behaviour. Its acts as a complement to the standard field guides, with some nice illustrations and text showing how species fly, swin, feed etc.
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