Collins Bird Guide: new edition (1 Viewer)

[McMadd]

As the first named author browses this site maybe he could clarify some of the queries raised above for us all?

Definitely my guide of choice and if I get one request then I think the expansion of the treatment afforded Lesser Scaup in V1 would be useful.

 

[Arbu]

Same here.

John.

I don't have such an error either. But I do have an error on page 108. The labels for the maps for Chukar and Rock Partridge are the wrong way round.

 

[Hubert]

In my it's ok.

 

[Swissboy]

http://www.harpercollins.co.uk/books/default.aspx?id=40238

Thanks! However, there is no mention here of the info given by gmax:
.....review to the forthcoming edition they say that "The nomenclature and taxonomy may not be to everybody's liking, " ...

Thus the question is still open where one finds additional advance information.

 

[Swissboy]

....and is due March 2008.

The Harper Collins website has it due for 06.05.08. I read this as May, or it could mean June. The eternal stupid date confusion across the Atlantic. But here, it seems to be a UK source, listing the price in £.

 

[John Cantelo]

Thanks! However, there is no mention here of the info given by gmax:
.....review to the forthcoming edition they say that "The nomenclature and taxonomy may not be to everybody's liking, " ...
.

Since when was the taxonomy in ANY field guide to everybody's (anybody's?) liking ....?
John

 

[Swissboy]

Since when was the taxonomy in ANY field guide to everybody's (anybody's?) liking ....?
John

Very true; but the link where such advance info can be found is what I am after!

 

[John Cantelo]

The blurb for the 2nd edition on the NHBS website says it will have 392 pages, 700 maps and 3500 illustrations .... which is exactly the same as the original! Either HarperCollins are fibbing or they haven't told NHBS the whole story!
John

NHBS seem to have got it wrong since a blurb on Amazon claims it will have 416 pages - an extra 24 pages (12 text pages & 12 new plates?) would go a long was to satisfy the demands listed here!
John

 

[graeme782]

Has anybody else noticed the title of this new book. I'm not going to spill the beans but, if you're interested, have a closer look. Maybe the book isn't a more up to date version of the old one and is something very different. Hmmmm.

 

[nctexasbirder]

It says "The Most Complete Guide to the Birds of Britain and Ireland" but why does it have "2nd Edition" on it?

 

[graeme782]

It says "The Most Complete Guide to the Birds of Britain and Ireland" but why does it have "2nd Edition" on it?

Of course, calling it a 2nd edition does throw the proverbial spanner into my conspiracy theory, but why is it now a guide to Britain and Ireland and not Britain and Europe. :eek!:

 

[turkish van]

And, the word 'field' is gone - not so handily sized?

 

[graeme782]

And, the word 'field' is gone - not so handily sized?

On the current large format version the word 'field' is not present so i wouldn't worry on that score.

On reading the posts in this thread a little more closely, i see in post 17 my question has been posed already. It was together with another question, which obviously had people scuttling off to check their own copies before reading the whole post, and is why i can only assume nobody picked up on it then.

It would appear, on the face of it, that this is going to be a guide to Britain and Ireland as opposed to Britain and Europe. I know many people would have liked this option so maybe they're going to get it.

On the other hand, it could always be a rather large typo!!!!

 

[Edward]

On the current large format version the word 'field' is not present so i wouldn't worry on that score.

On reading the posts in this thread a little more closely, i see in post 17 my question has been posed already. It was together with another question, which obviously had people scuttling off to check their own copies before reading the whole post, and is why i can only assume nobody picked up on it then.

It would appear, on the face of it, that this is going to be a guide to Britain and Ireland as opposed to Britain and Europe. I know many people would have liked this option so maybe they're going to get it.

On the other hand, it could always be a rather large typo!!!!

I'd be surprised (and bitterly disappointed) if the 2nd edition were to be a guide to to just Britain and Ireland. Collins is after all an English translation of a Swedish book.

E

 

[DavidP]

I'd be surprised (and bitterly disappointed) if the 2nd edition were to be a guide to to just Britain and Ireland. Collins is after all an English translation of a Swedish book.

E

I hope in the other direction that there will be an edition that is primarily UK and Ireland orientated. Surely its not beyond them to re format this way. I think it would solve for me some of the problems with the current Collins.

a) Type way too small, layout not easy on the eye
b) Illustrations too small 2 species per page would be better
c) More pocketable and field orientated

I wonder what percentage of their current sales are in UK or in english language format.

I realise this is a europe wide book but presumably its printed in several languages anyway which would seem more difficult to do that re formating to include only those species say on the British list, at 500 or so rather than the 700 + at the moment.

I'm not too interested in the bird species of Israel and Azerbaijan or north africa at least when I'm in southern england. As a beginner I have enough trouble with Uk species but don't see why beginners should have to deal with the generally inferior illustrations that are present in other books.

Surely theres room for both types of book from the already existing information in the present Collins.

 

[John Cantelo]

I hope in the other direction that there will be an edition that is primarily UK and Ireland orientated. Surely its not beyond them to re format this way. I think it would solve for me some of the problems with the current Collins.

a) Type way too small, layout not easy on the eye
b) Illustrations too small 2 species per page would be better
c) More pocketable and field orientated

I wonder what percentage of their current sales are in UK or in english language format.

I realise this is a europe wide book but presumably its printed in several languages anyway which would seem more difficult to do that re formating to include only those species say on the British list, at 500 or so rather than the 700 + at the moment.

I'm not too interested in the bird species of Israel and Azerbaijan or north africa at least when I'm in southern england. As a beginner I have enough trouble with Uk species but don't see why beginners should have to deal with the generally inferior illustrations that are present in other books.

Surely theres room for both types of book from the already existing information in the present Collins.

Exactly what I've been thinking since the original appeared!

However, I think it's clear that this new edition will follow the lead of the original. Given that the cover layout etc would have been done by the Collins design team with little or no reference to the authors, I think it would be a mistake to read anything into it at all.

John

 

[McMadd]

Given that the cover layout etc would have been done by the Collins design team with little or no reference to the authors, I think it would be a mistake to read anything into it at all.

John

Except perhaps sloppiness on their part...heh, heh, heh...my bold as the younger generation say...or is me hearing onna way oot too?

 

[John Cantelo]

I'm certain that I saw on some website a couple of weeks back that this new edition was due this March. Even if I'm mistaken, the general impression seems to be that it would appear early this year. Now I see that the NHBS site says the original edition is reprinting Feb 2008 and that the second edition won't arrive until 2009. Disappointing<
John

 

[rezMole]

From Play.com's website:

Following on from its hugely successful launch in 1999, Collins Bird Guide - the ultimate reference book for bird enthusiasts - now enters its second edition. With expanded text and additional colour illustrations, the second edition of the hugely successful Collins Bird Guide is a must for every birdwatcher. The book provides all the information needed to identify any species at any time of the year, covering size, habitat, range, identification and voice. Accompanying every species entry is a distribution map and illustrations showing the species in all the major plumages (male, female, immature, in flight, at rest, feeding: whatever is important). In addition, each group of birds includes an introduction which covers the major problems involved in identifying or observing them: how to organise a sea watching trip, how to separate birds of prey in flight, which duck hybrids can be confused with which main species. These and many other common birdwatching questions are answered.The combination of definitive text, up-to-date distribution maps and superb illustrations, all in a single volume, makes this book the ultimate field guide, essential on every bookshelf and birdwatching trip.

Release date is given as 3 March 2008. But it is listed as "Hardback" - retail price £25, Play price £18.99.

The illustration of the front cover does say "Britain and Ireland".

 

[Quacker]

Only on waterstones website did I see any mention of the birds of Britain & Europe - no website mentioned merely Britain & Ireland - So it begs the question of where did they get the cover/artwork from?

see the 2nd main paragraph under Publisher and Industry review (below the synopsis).


http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/displayProductDetails.do?sku=6014979