Best book for bird, nest and egg identification?

[Harebell]

Can any of you experts recommend an excellent book for easily identifying birds' eggs and nests? We have some excellent bird books but they don't seem to pay much attention to these aspects. We find lots of different kinds of nests in our trees and shrubs during the winter, as well as half egg shells during the summer, and would love to know which birds produced them. Any help would be much appreciated.

[AshLee]

My books on the subject are:

Birds' Eggs and Nests by Jan Hanzak, Hamlyn 1977 ISBN 0 600 31241 0

Observer's Book of Birds' Eggs by G. Evans, Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd. 1961 (no ISBN that I can find )

They are ancient hand-me downs though. I found them extremely interesting as a child, but I can't say I've used them much as an adult. No idea if they are still available.

(Sorry just read that you wanted an expert to answer this but since I've already written my post I'll answer anyway ).

[epops]

could try here Amazon.co.uk: birds nests and eggs: Books

[david156]

Originally Posted by AshLee

Observer's Book of Birds' Eggs by G. Evans, Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd. 1961

They are ancient hand-me downs though. I found them extremely interesting as a child, but I can't say I've used them much as an adult. No idea if they are still available.

(Sorry just read that you wanted an expert to answer this but since I've already written my post I'll answer anyway ).

Have to agree with this one. As a kid I collected broken egg shells and I used this book to identify them. Also had the one on Birds and Trees and a couple of others that I can't remember now!

[AshLee]

Indeed David!

Someone in the family (grandparent?) had had a case of eggs, some of which were blown. Terrible to think of now (and I'm not encouraging a discussion about egg-collecting here - it's just wrong). But they were just so beautiful. I too have memories of my first attempts at ID, with Observer's book in hand. Fond memories indeed.

My brother was given the Observer's book and I thought that the first entry (Magpie I think) wasn't quite blue enough. But my skills as an artist didn't quite match my ideas. I spent the next few years dreading what he would do to me (he would have killed me) if he had found out - he never did

[JeffH]

The two books most widely used by members of the BTO's Nest Record Scheme (see here for more details - British Trust for Ornithology: The Nest Record Scheme) are:-

'Nests, Eggs & Nestlings of British & European Birds' by Colin Harrison (Collins) - still available via Amazon and other booksellers, and

'A field guide to Birds' Nests' by Bruce Campbell & James Ferguson-Lees - the classic nesting guide (but without egg photos) and now only available 2nd hand, if at all.

Hope that helps

Jeff

[Harebell]

We too used to have all the Observer's books, but the one on birds eggs seems to have sprouted wings and flown!

I'm hoping that either one of: 'British Birds' Eggs and Nests, Popularly Described' or 'Nests, Eggs & Nestlings of British & European Birds' will be nestled under our Chirstmas tree this year. Many thanks to all who responded.

[dstevens]

I indeed do have a copy of the observers book of birds eggs compiled by g evans and printed by frederick warne and co dated 1954.