Books I Run To

[nightshade]

Iwas looking through my book-shelves and having a general tidy up when it occured to me that i only regularly used half a dozen of the hundreds that i have.
looking at the condition of the half dozen, the most used is an old readers digest
field guide to the birds of britain plus some ancient observers books on wildlife.
So whats on your shelves ? what would you recommend ? what would you not be without.
Make it THREE books I look forward to your views
GUESTS, sign up dont be shy

[Tinkerbell]

Two books I use regularly are both AA publications - one first published 30 years ago is Book of the British Countryside covering many different aspects of British nature, and the other is The Complete Book of British Birds. I have noticed though that most pictures seem to be illustrations, rather than photographs and wonder why this is so. Is it easier to draw and colour the perfect Meadow Pipit, or Early Marsh Orchid, rather than photograph it? I also find children's books to be amongst the best for explanation, since they don't assume the reader automatically understands the lifecycle of a butterfly, for example.

[wildone]

For birds I use Colins Bird Guide and for flowers The Wild Flower Key. Until I read Tinkerbell's post I had ignored the AA Book of Britain's Countryside but on taking it off the shelf have realised how useful it is. Thank you Tinkerbell. My thoughts on illustrations versus photographs is that it is easier to show all the relevant features in an illustration. Notice how particularly with plants several additional drawings show salient things about that plant.

[Boddie]

My book collection is nil unfortunately as I am unemployed at the moment. Luckily moderators at Wild About Britain usually identify my photos so my knowledge is improving of the various flowers, plants, insects, birds, animals etc. that I photo so a big thanks to them

[nightshade]

Boddie have you sent for your free Breathing Space Pack? I am told there is an
I.D. cd ROM in the pack
bbc.co.uk/breathingspace
Do not forget the best source of books is the charity shop, when i was out of work,i had a word with the staff and they kept books back for me

[Boddie]

Dear Nightshade,

Thanks very much for that. A great website and will prove valuable to me. I appreciate your advice.

Thanks

Boddie

[Foxglove]

You beat me to it there Nightshade...I was just going to suggest charity shops as I can't go past one without popping inside for a quick look. A lot of the time there's nothing but Mills and Boon books but just occasionally you come up trumps with some fantastic books.

As to the three books I refer to most...I have so many that I'll have to have a look on the shelves but off the top of my head THE book I use the most is...

Collins bird guide - I have two copies: one immaculate hardback copy which stays in the house for reference and another ( paperback) which is ALWAYS in the car or, on field trips, in my rucksack. I don't really need it for most birds as after 23 years of serious birding I know most of the commoner species I may encounter in this part of the world but I find it THE best book for sorting through all those 'horrible' Little Brown Jobs like buntings and young finches. There was a Lapland Bunting at Druridge Bay earlier this year and I went along hoping to see it but dipped out ...and I had to refer to my Collins guide just to have some idea of what I was looking for!

The book I NEED to get myself desperately is a decent portable field guide to wild flowers....most I can id from a quick sketch but some of the umbellifers and vetches etc have me a bit stumped. Botany is definitely my weak point!

I'll have a proper look tomorrow as to the title of the field guide I use for seashore life too ( off to bed soon as I'm up at 4am tomorrow for work) ....there are so many glorious rock pools up here that I could spend an entire day just gazing into them.

Gill

[nightshade]

1 larousse, pocket guide to wild flowers of britain & northen ireland

2 collins nature guides, wildflowers of britain & europe

3 the wild flower key british isles- nw europe
the larousse seems to go everywhere with me and is small, purchased in a cheap book stall for £2.95

there are better books nowdays do a general search for reviews

[Turtletagger]

When I came back to England after 37 years absence with nothing but the suit case and a couple of thousand in the bank and of corse my seconed eyes, my binoculars, I had no books to my name apart from a field guide on Australian birds. Now after three years I have a great collection of books, nearly all baught from Charity shops. The RSPB Birds is my favourite. For insects I found the Oxford book of insects to be very helpful. When asked what I wanted for my birthday or Christmas I always stated, Wildlife Books. The Collins series are very good also, and my latest aquasition is The Mitchell Beasley pocket guide to Wild Flowers baught for a pound.
However the greatest location of information on anything, is the Internet. All I do is type into Keyword the latin name or whatever name I know the species as, and I have never failed to get what I wanted.

[rlchew]

1. As other posters, definitely the Collins Bird Guide.

2. Any of the "Where to watch birds in ...." series of regional guides.

3. Collins Field Guide to Mammals of Britain and Europe.

4. Plus everything else on my shelves .... but I was only allowed 3 choices!

Richard

Richard Chew photography
www.richardchewphotography.com