• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Xmas list! (1 Viewer)

J

Jhanlon

Well-known member
It's that time again where I'm being asked what I want for Christmas!

Haven't bought any bird books for ages and haven't been keeping up with the latest titles but I prefer books on i/d so that I have a good reference library to consult. I have a fair few Helm guides but one that is missing is Gulls of Europe, Africa & N America by Olsen & Larsson. Would anyone recommend this? I remember hearing there were lots of mistakes in the 1st edition, and that many of these had been highlighted by Peter Adriaens. Were these ever corrected (in what edition?)

Open to other recommendations... the only other birdy thing I have down is the CD 'Calls of Eastern Vagrants' which sounds like a good idea.
 
Also keen to hear rumours regarding the new edition Collins bird guide. Apparently due this month. Anyone know more? Will there really be that much new information?

thanks!
 
Jhanlon said:
Also keen to hear rumours regarding the new edition Collins bird guide. Apparently due this month. Anyone know more? Will there really be that much new information?

thanks!
Click to expand...

There's a thread devoted to the mythical second edition of Collins elsewhere in the Books section. March 2010 is the scheduled release date now.
 
The Gulls book is pretty good now. The illustrations are mostly good and the info is second to none. The only thing that niggles me about the book is that it wouldn't really have taken much more to include the missing few species and make it a one-stop reference for gulls of the whole world - an odd choice. Or maybe it's just me...?? Still worth a buy though
 
Jhanlon said:
It's that time again where I'm being asked what I want for Christmas!

Haven't bought any bird books for ages and haven't been keeping up with the latest titles but I prefer books on i/d so that I have a good reference library to consult. I have a fair few Helm guides but one that is missing is Gulls of Europe, Africa & N America by Olsen & Larsson. Would anyone recommend this? I remember hearing there were lots of mistakes in the 1st edition, and that many of these had been highlighted by Peter Adriaens. Were these ever corrected (in what edition?)

Open to other recommendations... the only other birdy thing I have down is the CD 'Calls of Eastern Vagrants' which sounds like a good idea.
Click to expand...

The Gull bible, is now all corrected, and is IMO a superb buy. :t:
 
I was hoping for the new Reed & Bush Warblers on mine but see that's been pushed back to April next year too....!!
 
birdboybowley said:
........ The only thing that niggles me about the book is that it wouldn't really have taken much more to include the missing few species and make it a one-stop reference for gulls of the whole world - an odd choice. Or maybe it's just me...?? Still worth a buy though
Click to expand...

Again, diverging interests of producers and consumers. I'm sure the version you would have liked this book to be will be just around the corner. That is, when everybody has bought this first book.
 
thanks for that. So Collins is off but Gulls may be on. What is it about the Sound Approach that makes it so good? Never actually seen it
 
Jhanlon said:
thanks for that. So Collins is off but Gulls may be on. What is it about the Sound Approach that makes it so good? Never actually seen it
Click to expand...

I second (or third?) the Gull book. Best book on gulls that I've seen.

The Sound Approach to Birding is just fantastic. You will never listen to birds the same way again. Here's my review of it.

The second Sound Approach book, Petrels Night and Day, is universally acclaimed as a fantastic guide to these seabirds. I've got it, but haven't had time to go through it yet. But if you are at all interested in these birds, it is basically a must-have.
 
Jhanlon said:
thanks for that. So Collins is off but Gulls may be on. What is it about the Sound Approach that makes it so good? Never actually seen it
Click to expand...

the info, the style, the lay out . A brilliant book that you will learn a lot from plus brilliantly written
 
martinf said:
the info, the style, the lay out . A brilliant book that you will learn a lot from plus brilliantly written
Click to expand...

wow, thumbs up for the Sound Approach then.
I have another idea... what about BBi? Does anyone have it? 100 years of papers digitised and searchable - sounds good.
The only other book i thought about is Frontiers in Birding by Martin Garner & Friends. Haven't read ny reviews yet but I might just get looking.
 
The frontiers book is a good read with an inspiring 1st half and a 2nd half which comprises of the identification of rares that could slip through the net ie laughing moorhen, the 3 sp of Eider, female teal species, ring tail harriers, tiga merlin to name a few. As I say it is a good read however it is perhaps a little cheap feeling, for the money paid, a splash of colour on some of the illustrations would make the book far more appealing, the text is very good, informative and I can guarantee you will be checking some of the more 'common' stuff for rares after reading it!

Can anyone recommend the best guide to shorebirds/waders on the market at the moment?

Thanks
 
Warning! This thread is more than 15 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Similar threads

dalat
Costa Rica
Replies
10
Views
2K
Oldnintheway
O
D
More Bird Books For Sale job lot preferred
Replies
5
Views
1K
DebsinDorset
D
P
New Sea Otter Book
Replies
0
Views
490
pbgrebe
P
JTweedie
Books on gulls
Replies
9
Views
2K
JTweedie
JTweedie
SueO
Marks on immature Yellow-legged Gull
Replies
3
Views
845
HH75
H

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top