What is the best birding book you have read? (1 Viewer)

[Doug]

Just a thought to start somethiing here as I am an avid reader of books about birds, birders and birding and could do with some suggestions - what is the best bird related book you have read? I enjoyed 'Birders - Tales of a Tribe' by Mark Cocker - but have you read 'Birds of Heaven' - about a guy who travelled the world to see every species of Crane? Wonderful stuff with the most beautiful illustrations.

 

[Gaye Horn]

My Favourite books are about Hummingbirds.. particularly
"My Winter Guests" Arnette Heidcamp and again by her " A Hummingbird in MY House"
"Down & Dirty Birding by Joey Slinger

"Birds Do It" by the Harrisons
"I Heard The Owl Call My Name"(cannot recall off hand the author.. ok ok so string me up...
David Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behaviour.

 

[birdman]

Doug, (and Gaye)

Check out my latest post in Books etc.

Couple of "reading" books there, and a couple of goodies though I say so myself.

(Celebrity Birdwatching pun not intended!)

 

[cjay]

The Bill Oddie Books & Diary of A Birder by Richard Millington.

 

[Doug]

I have read and enjoyed Bill's books but hadn't realised Richard has written one - what is it like?

 

[Doug]

HI Ethan - what are some of the birds you get in Ohio?

 

[Geoff Pain]

I have read and also enjoyed all of Bill's books ,I also like the books about Cley and have a copy of Richard Millington's book
A Twitchers Diary which I picked up for £2 at a craft fair,a real bargain when you look at all the excellent drawings in it.

Geoff

 

[Doug]

I will have to hunt down this 'Twitchers Diary' for myself - thanks for the tip, guys. Has anyone read 'The Snow Geese' - not the weepy novel but the account of a birders trip to follow their migration in the America's?

 

[Andrew]

I have just recently taken up birding full on and already am into books of all kinds. I lean towards narrative bird books really and have read Millington's book from the library but must say that Bill Oddie's books have been an inspiration with the candid and frank no nonsense style in which he writes. My fave article in a book is Bill and his mate getting tied up in the mud of Tacumshin which I think is in Bill's book 'Follow That Bird' or it could be his 'Little Black Bird Book'. I have currently got two books 'Birders' by Mark Cocker and 'The Charm of Birds' by Sir Edward Grey. I am saving these for a holiday if I get one. I will also be getting 'Spix's Macaw : The Race to Save the World's Rarest Bird' by Tony Juniper. I was thinking of Boyman's 'Around the World with a 1000 Birds' but have since read a review stating that he moans about his divorce ans problems too much. Any comments on this Boyman's book from an impartial reader?
:hippy:

 

[peter hayes]

I agree with all the comments about Mr Oddie's books. He has done more to help beginners to birding, and more to promote birding with the general public, than almost anyone else.

Apparently it is fashionable for serious birders to look down on Mr Oddie's approach to things. I have seen them write that they wouldn't be seen dead with his field guide for example. I beg to differ. I think we all owe Bill Oddie a debt of gratitude.

 

[T0ny]

Could we re-name this to 'Your 100 favourite birding books', please ? I started off with G. Bramwell-Evans 'Romany' series (anyone else remember them), and Norman Ellison's 'Nomad' ones. Bill's books are great, I agree - I've also got some more unusual ones. Hilda M. Quick wrote and illustrated several books about Cornwall & Scilly, which I like - there's the Hosking ones 'Birds of the Day / Night', etc, and his autobiography 'An Eye For A Bird'. He also illustrated H. Axell's 'Minsmere - Portrait of a Bird Reserve' - oh, there's too many to list. Bird books aren't just field guides !!

Tony

 

[Andrew]

I reckon for my generation (30 to 40 year olds) the definitive book that inflamed original passions was the Observer book on British Birds, remember the tiny brown hardbacked book. If not then the I Spy book on Birds, just found one in old books after reading this thread and WOW, it is absolutely rubbish! Even so it was enough to get us young kids going wasn't it?

As for W. E. Oddie, ain't you all looking forward to his new series starting Friday? Bet if so called birding pro's were told by the Goodie there was a Zitting Cisticola at the bottom of a disued tin mine they would jump down it would'nt they? (Apologies if you're too good to do so!):hippy:

 

[Gaye Horn]

I am pleased to say that thanks to the generosity of a pretty good fella in the UK; I now own a Bill Oddie"Little Black Bird Book". He has a really down to earth manner of writing and is quite entertaining.Both my husband and I enjoyed reading it as it is very differently presented then most. I would love to meet this man.. I bet he is more then just a bit knowledgeable and probably even fun!

 

[Camberley red]

Not wishing to be high brow or push a commercial venture but by far the best bird book so far is in fact a series try:

Handbook of the Birds of the World - lynx edicions,

each book is a master piece of information, photography and bird illustration. The only problem is the £95 a book and at an estimated 14 volumes new foundations under the book shelf (we are talking serious paper production here), but if you can afford them buy them otherwise ask your library's reference section to get them.

On the guide book front I still think its hard to beat Lars Jonsson's Birds of Europe or the new Sibley North American Bird Guide.

Great birding in 2003

Paul

 

[Andrew]

Does anyone else share the same problem as me, when Christmas comes round the family buy you inadequate books on birds especially field guides. I reckon fieldguides are very much a personal matter and you can't beat Collins' Bird Guide. Christmas is a very painful time sometimes, sitting there being watched by a eager relative as you unwrap the book and get something like the 'AA Explore Britain : Birds' book and you have to put lots of effort into looking genuinely happy about it. Mind you they probably think what I buy them is rubbish too! No no no, Christmas is lovely, it would be lovlier if we didn't have to buy pressies for adults, just the kids cos that's what it's all about really.

 

[Steve Gross]

I've resorted to listing for relatives all the items I'd still like to own. There's not much that I'd want but don't own already.

I've taken to reading Oddie and Cocker, since I've just about exhausted all the American birding books. There are some that may not be well-known across the pond, so I'll present a short list:

1. Wild America, by Roger Tory Peterson and James Fisher (tales from the 1955 auto tour across North America taken by these two illustrious naturalists).
2. Refuge, by Terry Tempest Williams (not entirely about birds/birding, but a very powerful book, especially for women).
3. A Season at the Point, by Jack Connor (about the birds/birders of Cape May, New Jersey).

I can come up with a few more if anyone's interested.

Steve in Houston

 

[Andrew]

Can you give me the ISBN number for the final one 'A Season at the Point' cos I would love to read about Cape May birding. I have just thought maybe you Yanks don't have ISBN numbers, could you be using a different system. To anyone else reading this, do you know of any British sources for American books? (I am not keen on buying over the net.)

 

[Ashley beolens]

Ann Cleeves (yes her husband did find the slender billed curlew) writes murder mystries solved by a twitcher, an enjoyable fictional read, especially when you know the areas mentioned in the books.
Ash

 

[Reader]

My favourite book is a fictional account of the White tailed eagles advbentures called Stonors Eagles. I'm not sure of the author's name as I am having one of those moments where my mind is slipping and the authors name escapes me but I can assure you that it is a superb read.

 

[tonyh]

just reading the Mark Cocker book and have just bought 1000 Birds
any of 'Bills' books are required reading IMHO as well as Richard Millingtons Twitchers Diary
As far as field guides are concerned the recent Collins is superb and the Lars Jonsson Birds of Europe
As for bad bird books.......well thats a whole new thread !