In a normal year, I wouldn't make this post.
All of us birders who are lucky enough to visit East Africa will have benefitted from the book 'Birds of East Africa' aka Stevenson and Fanshawe. As you will know, one of the main illustrators is Brian Small who frequently shares his astonishing expertise in reply to questions here on BirdForum and has been helpful to me personally. As someone who can barely paint a square, I have always been astonished that someone with such talent would answer the queries of an ignoramus like me.
I'm really delighted that the new 2nd edition, much delayed, is finally now out and available. And I'm really delighted that the writers and illustrators are given the same billing, in that their names are all in the same size font in the same place. The other illustrator is John Gale. So, maybe we can now refer to this guide as SFGS? Or here on this forum to honour our contributor SFGSmall?
Anyway, since travel is very restricted, I'm guessing that they will sell fewer on initial publication than they hoped. But may I encourage everyone to do as I have and buy a copy anyway, as a kind of candle if you like to express the prayer and hope that we will all be able to visit this beautiful and welcoming area again in a not-very-distant future?
All of us birders who are lucky enough to visit East Africa will have benefitted from the book 'Birds of East Africa' aka Stevenson and Fanshawe. As you will know, one of the main illustrators is Brian Small who frequently shares his astonishing expertise in reply to questions here on BirdForum and has been helpful to me personally. As someone who can barely paint a square, I have always been astonished that someone with such talent would answer the queries of an ignoramus like me.
I'm really delighted that the new 2nd edition, much delayed, is finally now out and available. And I'm really delighted that the writers and illustrators are given the same billing, in that their names are all in the same size font in the same place. The other illustrator is John Gale. So, maybe we can now refer to this guide as SFGS? Or here on this forum to honour our contributor SFGSmall?
Anyway, since travel is very restricted, I'm guessing that they will sell fewer on initial publication than they hoped. But may I encourage everyone to do as I have and buy a copy anyway, as a kind of candle if you like to express the prayer and hope that we will all be able to visit this beautiful and welcoming area again in a not-very-distant future?
