A new, improved and thoroughly updated edition of the bestselling photographic guide—the only one to cover every bird, in every plumage, ever recorded in Britain and Ireland A bestselling guide since it was first published, Britain's Birds has quickly established itself as the go-to photographic identification guide to the birds of Great Britain and Ireland—the most comprehensive, up-to-date, practical and user-friendly book of its kind. Acclaimed by birdwatchers of all kinds, from the beginner to the most experienced, the guide has now been thoroughly revised and updated to make it even better than before. Combining the finest of identification guide content and presentation, this eagerly awaited second edition preserves the best of the first edition while covering twelve newly recorded species and offering a host of improvements that make identification easier. Provides comprehensive coverage of all the birds ever recorded in Britain and Ireland Describes and illustrates all plumages likely to be encountered Features more than 3,200 stunning photographs carefully selected to show the birds as you really see them Outlines simple steps to help you identify any bird you see Presents simple and accurate comparisons of similar and difficult species New features include: Coverage of 12 new species recorded since the first edition plus revisions to reflect the latest taxonomy Coverage of all subspecies Improved identification aids, including more than 400 new photos, enhanced photo annotations and many redesigned plates Fully revised species accounts, including the latest information on identification features, status, numbers, geographical range and date ranges for all plumages that may be seen during only part of the year

Dr J.T.R. Sharrock is uniquely placed to write about the rare birds of Britain and Ireland. He is a member of all three bodies which adjudicate on such records - honorary secretary of the British Ornithologists' Union's Records Committee and a member of both the British Birds Rarities Committee and the Irish Records Panel. He is already the author of a companion book which deals with a selection of the commoner rarities, Scarce Migrant Birds in Britain and Ireland. In this new, much fuller book the enormous task of collation of over 8000 records and their visual display as maps and histograms was carried out by Mrs E. M. Sharrock. The textual and visual analysis deals with 221 different species. Between them, the authors present a complete picture of rare birds in Britain and Ireland: * HOW MANY are seen? * WHEN do they occur? * HOW regularly do they come? * WHERE are they seen? There are line drawings of all 221 species by well-known bird artists: Robert Gillmor, P. J. Grant, R. A. Richardson, D. I. M. Wallace and lan Willis. Jacket design by Robert Gillmor.

This trio of rare-bird specialists have produced not only a book of great fascination for those who delight in rarities for their own sake, but one that offers valuable information on changing patterns of arrival which may indicate changes of status of these birds within their breeding range. This book is a successor to two earlier works, Scarce Migrant Birds in Britain and Ireland (Sharrock 1974) and Rare Birds in Britain and Ireland (Sharrock 1976). It unifies both of the earlier books and updates them, adding more than 80 species to the previous total. The authors have analysed and considered some 45,000 records of scarce and rare birds in Britain and Ireland for the period 1958-85. Extreme rarities outside the period are also listed. More than 300 species accounts are now included, most of them accompanied by histograms of weekly and seasonal occurrences, with maps showing distribution by counties in spring and autumn or at particular times of the year. For rarities with twelve or fewer occurrences during the period 1958-85, the place, date and other relevant information is given for each record. Every species is illustrated by a line drawing, more than 150 of them commissioned for this book, the remainder being selected from the two earlier works.

Since a Gold-winged Warbler flew across the Atlantic and attracted 3000 people in one day to a supermarket car park, identifying rarities has become the birdwatching activity of the 1990s. "Twitching", as it is called, now has over 15,000 dedicated people, with magazines, telephone hot-lines and Internet sites spreading information on what has been seen, when and by whom. This text catalogues the events and problems involved in identifying the first and subsequent sightings of the rare birds that have appeared in Britain and Ireland. It brings together information on the weather conditions, the problems involved in seeing each particular bird, who saw it and how many times that species has reappeared and where. This is the information that is of interest to twitchers, as it gives them a unique insight into when the species might reappear, and thus when they should organize their trips.

In a unique new collaboration, Collins have paired up with the respected British Trust for Ornithology, bringing together the most authoritative and up-to-date information in this new field guide to the common birds of Britain and Ireland.

The first comprehensive illustrated guide to North America's vagrant birds Rare Birds of North America is the first comprehensive illustrated guide to the vagrant birds that occur throughout the United States and Canada. Featuring 275 stunning color plates, this book covers 262 species originating from three very different regions—the Old World, the New World tropics, and the world's oceans. It explains the causes of avian vagrancy and breaks down patterns of occurrence by region and season, enabling readers to see where, when, and why each species occurs in North America. Detailed species accounts describe key identification features, taxonomy, age, sex, distribution, and status. Rare Birds of North America provides unparalleled insights into vagrancy and avian migration, and will enrich the birding experience of anyone interested in finding and observing rare birds. Covers 262 species of vagrant birds found in the United States and Canada Features 275 stunning color plates that depict every species Explains patterns of occurrence by region and season Provides an invaluable overview of vagrancy patterns and migration Includes detailed species accounts and cutting-edge identification tips

WINNER OF THE 2010 GUARDIAN NATURE BOOK OF THE YEAR WINNER OF THE 1991 NATURAL WORLD BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD The Butterflies of Britain & Ireland provides comprehensive coverage of all our resident and migratory butterflies, including the latest information on newly discovered species such as Cryptic Wood White and the Geranium Bronze. When first published in 1991 it won the Natural World Book of the Year Award and won plaudits from all quarters. Fully revised, considerably expanded and reset in 2010, it was judged that year's Guardian Nature Book of the Year. Now revised again to reflect the latest research findings, and with up-to-date distribution maps, this remarkable book is THE guide to the appearance, behaviour, life cycle and ecology of the butterflies of Britain and Ireland.