This is a chronicle of encounters with a lot of bird books, in fact a lifetime of such encounters. The world of bird books is vast and varied, defying coherent descriptions. The author’s qualification for making this attempt to describe it is that he owns several hundred of them, gathered over more than 70 years. To help make sense of this obsession, the description of the books is linked to life in which traditional birdwatching (and book hunting) went on, in different places, and in between other things.

The Field Guide to the Birds of Sri Lanka is the first fully comprehensive, modern field guide to this ornithologically fascinating country. All of Sri Lanka's 426 official avian species are described in the text and depicted in 48 stunning new colour plates painted by Tim Worfolk, one ofBritain's leading bird artists. The text, accessible to both experienced ornithologists and beginners, highlights the important identification features, such as plumage variations, size, calls and songs, range, distribution, and status, for every species. The plates illustrate the various plumagevariations for each bird, and show the birds perched and also in flight, where relevant to their identification. An introduction to the guide describes briefly some of the best sites for watching Sri Lanka's abundant avifauna, and provides useful contact addresses for the prospective traveller.This will be an essential purchase for all birdwatchers travelling to the region; the beautiful plates and clearly-written text will also make it a must-have for anyone who loves birds, and Sri Lankan birds in particular.

'Bird-watchers are tense, competitive, selfish, shifty, dishonest, distrusting, boorish, pedantic, unsentimental, arrogant and – above all – envious'. So says Bill Oddie, and he should know! It's a tough environment out there on marsh and moorland, and this scurrilous little classic is a must for all devoted birders and twitchers (and as Bill relates, there is a mighty difference!). With years of hard-earned experience, Bill dares to say all the things that other b's and t's will recognize as true but which they have never dared to own up or admit to, even to themselves. Whether discussing the birds he's seen, the birds that got away, equipment, apparel, sightings, cock-ups, places to visit or people to avoid, Bill's enthusiasm is infectious, and his knowledge unsurpassed. This little black book is one item that no serious birdwatcher can afford to leave out of the rucksack, and it will prove an essential companion when trudging the estuaries and riverbanks, in torrential rain and gusty gale in search of that elusive rare beauty.

"This volume of stories celebrates the incredible and indelible ways in which birds touch us, intrinsically as well as extrinsically. I hope it will encourage a greater awareness of and appreciation for these remarkable beings and a deep and abiding respect for and nurturing of their presence amongst us." -Ira Rubinoff, PhD, Director Emeritus and Senior Staff Scientist Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Welcome to the amazing world of birds, birders and bird watching. Birds have what we don't-the enchantment of wings! They lift and break free from the bounds of gravity, soar over lakes, mountains, treetops-a veritable moving feast of fascinating, unpredictable, and breathtaking movement that captures and defies our ability to control it. And we love them, because they represent the untamed wild in ourselves. The writings in this book evoke our deepest connections with birds and allow us to revel in the sense of mystery, magic, and devotion that we all feel for our feathered friends. Open to any page, start reading, and become one of the millions who know that the only piece of equipment you really need to begin birding is a book. Let your journey begin with this one.

A compilation of Stokes bird feeder book ... Stokes hummingbird book ... Stokes birdhouse book ... and Stokes bird gardening book.

There was only the bird book to tell her story. She left it as unfinished as her life seemed to be. The question of who she was led me to begin searching for the answers. Years ago I should have started searching while she was still alive; however, I did not really know about her until it was too late. I refused to have her life and legacy forgotten, and yet I was so slow in acting. I suppose there are those who would say that I should not invade the territory of one who is already gone. However, it has always been in me to find out the answers, and so for that reason, Almas story must be told. She left her story in phrases she composed. She left her story in the pieces of artwork she created. She left her story in the memories of those who knew her.

Reproduction of the original: The Children’s Book of Birds by Olive Thorne Miller