The Observer's Book of Birds (1 Viewer)

[KC Foggin]

I have in my possession a small, hard cover book entitled "The Observer's Book of Birds". Published in 1972 and reprinted in 1974. It's in beautiful condition and apparently was part of a whole series of books. Printed in Great Britain by William Clowes & Sons Ltd. Does anyone know if the series of books is still around?

 

[GiG]

I have in my possession a small, hard cover book entitled "The Observer's Book of Birds". Published in 1972 and reprinted in 1974. It's in beautiful condition and apparently was part of a whole series of books. Printed in Great Britain by William Clowes & Sons Ltd. Does anyone know if the series of books is still around?

Hi,

I don't think they are published any more. I've picked up other ones in the series in second hand book shops including ones on trees and lichens.

Gi

 

[John P]

Last publication was a Penguin version in 2003, a first edition of Birds from 1937 could be worth £hundreds.

Wiki

Not Wiki

 

[John Cantelo]

It's an iconic little book which, in its day, probably got more people in the UK into birdwatching than anything else. In fact, I'd go so far to say that there can be few birders of a pre-Peterson FG era (i.e. post 1954) that don't owe their interest in birds to this little volume and not a few whose interest was sparked off in the 1960s. Given the length of time the series - and they cover pretty much everything from astronomy through churches to goodness knows what - was in print they can be picked up fairly cheaply. I'm sure that a list of all titles can be found by a quick google,

 

[grumps]

For those of us of a 'certain age' it was THE book. Indeed not much else was available. Mine was well used in the 60's. Problem was that some of the plates were in black and white which added to the identification problems.

A lovely series of books and I still carry the butterfly and wildflower books with me in the field for quick reference.

Thanks for bringing back the memories.

Hugh

 

[RICHAT]

Agreed about the influence of the Observer's Book of Birds. Yes, there are plenty of internet resources including: http://www.observersbooks.com/
Also the seemingly incestuous, but must-have "Observer's Observer's Books" by Peter Marren gives a marvellous story and catalogue of this iconic series. I still chuckle at the entries in my 1964 "Automobiles", remembering how I used to drool at the Mk III Ford Zephyrs and Mk 1 Ford Cortinas which were on the road at that time and the pride and joy of their well-off owners.

 

[KC Foggin]

Thanks so much guys. Whoever had this little book before me took great care of it. Will have to go back to the old bookstore to sort through and see if I can find others.

 

[ian hamilton]

I have in my possession a small, hard cover book entitled "The Observer's Book of Birds". Published in 1972 and reprinted in 1974. It's in beautiful condition and apparently was part of a whole series of books. Printed in Great Britain by William Clowes & Sons Ltd. Does anyone know if the series of books is still around?

that was the first bird book i ever bought,it went everywhere with me even to school,i did'nt even know it was part of a series

 

[colonelboris]

I was given a 1969 copy of the Observer's Book of Birds' Eggs a few months back. Not all species' eggs are shown, but those that are are in rather nice colour. Mind you, this book came out back in the day when you could collect a lot of eggs and not get into trouble.
If anyone on here is called Vincent and was given a copy of this book at Easter 1972 by 'Maman and Daddy', then I've got it...

 

[davercox]

I did have three of them for some reason when I was a lot younger. One called The Observer's Book of British Birds, the other two just The Observer's Book of Birds. Only got one now, 30th edition (1958). By S. Vere Benson, Hon. Sec. of the Bird-Lovers' League (what happened to that, I wonder).
Interesting choice of species in it: no Collared Dove or Little Egret, of course, no Osprey, no Mandarin; and only one 'Crossbill'. White Wagtail and Blue-headed Wagtail each get a page of their own. Very few scarcities chosen, but they do include Red-spotted Bluethroat, Red-breasted Flycatcher, 'White-tailed or Sea-Eagle', Rough-legged Buzzard, Little Bittern, and Kentish Plover 'nesting only on a small piece of south coast'.

 

[Johnny Allan]

Still have my copy which I bought over forty years ago. Always wondered why half the pics are in black and white. As a kid, I used to go over the common and look at trees, similar to the one in the book with a Long-eared Owl in it, and used to wonder why there were no Long-eared Owls in them.

 

[Farnboro John]

Just found this thread. My mum has a very old copy, I'll try to remember to check when it was published. Having started birding with a not very portable Reader's Digest guide and graduated quickly via Peterson to the Shell Guide (anybody remember that?) I found many of the Observer's Book pictures unhelpful or downright bizarre. The Sea Eagle is a corking example of the latter - bill more like a Woodpigeon than the Erne's axe!

John

 

[Epsomsalt]

I cannot see a date on my copy. There is a hand written date of Sunday May 1st 1955 on the inside cover - written by the previous owner. The price was 5/- (Five shillings), it is written by S. Vere Benson, Hon Sec of the Bird Lovers' League and the 'Preface to the new edition' is dated January 1952.

My version contains 236 species, with 200 illustrations, 100 of which are 'in full colour'.

Other Books in the series (according to the jacket), at that time were:

The observers Book of:

British Wild Flowers
British Butterflies
Trees and Shrubs of the British Isles
British Wild Animals
Freshwater Fishes of the British Isles
British Grasses, Sedges and Rushes
Dogs
Horses and Ponies
British Geology
Aircraft
British Ferns
British Architecture
The Larger British Moths
Ships
Music
Common British Insects and Spiders
British Birds' Eggs

Those were the days eh?

Chris

 

[Jabberwocky]

I was given mine in 1960. It has a label in the front with my name on and 'Summer Term 1960 Progress Prize'. I was 11 years old.

Happy days.

Lewis

 

[Geoff Brown]

I had the Observers Book of Aircraft. The Gloster Meteor and the de Havilland Vampire were the "hot rod" fighter aircraft of the early fifties. I also had one or two others in the series including wild flowers, trees and birds