Birds of France


Book Description

The definitive photographic guide to the amazing avifauna of France. France is known for its remarkable scenery, from the Camargue region and the dramatic peaks of the Alps – home to Greater Flamingos and Spotted Nutcrackers respectively – to the vast, tranquil woodland where Black Woodpeckers can be found nesting. Situated at the crossroads of bird migration, its varied natural landscape provides an exciting destination to observe both resident and migrant birds. This second edition has been expanded to showcase 301 regularly occurring species, each accompanied with stunning photography. Concise text for each species includes details on identification, songs and calls, behaviour, distribution and habitat, with each photo carefully selected to aid identification. A guide to the best birdwatching sites in France is also included. Portable yet authoritative, this is the perfect companion for any wildlife enthusiast visiting or living in France.




Where to Watch Birds in France


Book Description

An introduction to France for anyone visiting with birds in mind, from casual birdwatchers checking a bird that flies over the terrace during a family holiday to addict birders who would sell their souls for a dream species or a record-breaking checklist. Some may have just a few spare hours to get their binoculars out between business meetings or museum visits, others will be out in the field for two weeks or more, from sunrise to sunset. The authors wrote this book for all bird lovers, birdwatchers and birders, whatever the duration of their stay, the number of kilometres they are prepared to travel and how they enjoy birds. With over 400 regularly occurring species, of which 357 normally breed or winter, France has one of the most diverse avifaunas of the whole of Europe, spanning an incredible range from colourful Mediterranean flagship species such as roller, bee-eater or black-winged kite to secretive cold-climate or mountain specialists like three-toed woodpecker and Tengmalm's owl. The Birdfinder section provides targeted details for 30 species which often rank in the top wish-list of birders visiting France. Dividing the country into 14 regions, the authors highlight 312 representative sites, chosen for their bird species composition and ease of access. The selected sites enable the reader to see the widest possible species diversity and largest range of local specialities in a reasonable time, while respecting the basic ethical rules obvious to all birdwatchers. Whenever possible, sites are arranged in clusters or itineraries that can be covered in two to three days without hurrying. To supplement the use of the book in the field, all the sites described are geolocated in a file that can be downloaded from the publisher's website and loaded onto any GPS device.




Birding Dordogne


Book Description




Finding Birds in Egypt


Book Description




More Birds Than Bullets


Book Description

'More Birds Than Bullets' is not just as the title suggests, there is more to it than that, it can be seen as a metaphor for life's experiences. I struggled with how I should go about writing it, should it be factual, or should it be like a novel? In the end I decided to write about my experiences from my time in the army through to civilian life, I have included some facts about birds, and rather than write out a long list of the birds I have seen, I concentrate instead on a small number of birds in slightly more detail... My aim is to give you an insight into my world as a birder, the stories are true and based on my experiences. I have changed names to protect people, unless it shows them in a good light as it's not my intention to cause harm to anyone. I will share with you some of my background and my relationship with birds, people, and the countries I have visited, and how they formed my understanding of the world by concluding with my transition from civilian, to military and back to civilian life. I hope you find it amusing, informative. I would also like to thank the following people for their input: Cliff Wright my good friend who painted the original cover designs of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I had to drop that one in; and for the excellent drawing on the cover to this book. I am grateful for the wonderful, powerful, and amazing Close Encounters of the Bird Kind. Mark Cocker - Author of Birds and People Brought up in a land of sectarian conflict and for the first half of his working life a soldier in the British Army, Geoffrey McMullan is, I suppose, your average warrior. As he himself loves to tell us, he is six foot four and built like the proverbial shithouse door. But Geoffrey has a softer side as well as a secret inner life that he exposes among all the rambunctious, globe-trotting adventure of this humour-filled memoir. He is one for the birds. Give him a Heart-spotted Woodpecker, it seems, and this great big bear of a man is moved to his soul. Birds? I hear one or two readers ask. Isn't that a bit, well, cissy? What can be so moving or special about birds? The truth is that Geoffrey's passion is both ancient and universal. To the Sufi mystics of central Asia, God was sometimes known as 'the unnamed bird'. For Native Americans - the Cheyenne and Lakota peoples of the American plains - the mythic 'thunderbird' was central to their spiritual lives. In the Andes the Quechua held the condor sacred for thousands of years. Zeus the preeminent deity of the ancient Greeks was represented as an eagle... The truth is that these creatures are central images for our most cherished ideals - love beauty, inner peace. Geoffrey McMullan knew this instinctively. In his book he describes a moving moment when, as a small boy, to fend off the casual violence of his boarding school, he alighted on a woodpecker on the lawn outside the dining room window. To that troubled child the bird was a source of peace and comfort. He goes on in More Birds than Bullets to show how this understanding has blossomed into a lifelong form of personal therapy. In the second half of his working life, as a teacher on the healing power of the natural world, Geoffrey is again summoning the birds but to demonstrate to others their uplifting potential. Encounters of the feathered kind are written into the DNA of Geoffrey's autobiography.




Where to Watch Birds in World Cities


Book Description

An indispensable book for traveling bird enthusiasts who find themselves in a foreign city with a little free time This is the first birder's guide to sixty cities of the world. Designed and written for the bird enthusiast who is traveling for reasons other than birding--on business, with family, for academic conferences--the book offers assistance in locating birds, identifying local bird residents, and using public transportation. Where to Watch Birds in World Cities deserves a permanent place in the suitcase or briefcase of anyone who would like to make the most of limited time in an unfamiliar city by learning about the local birds. Entries for each of the sixty cities provide an introduction to the city and detailed information on major bird-watching sites, including lists of typical summer and winter bird residents and migrants and directions for getting to the sites using public transportation. The book is illustrated throughout with maps and attractive line drawings. In no way a replacement for detailed guides to specific cities or regions, this book instead fills an important gap for travelers whose birding, though done on short notice, can nevertheless prove delightful. Some cities included in this guide: Milan Toronto Mexico City Tokyo Los Angeles Taipei Lima Singapore Kampala Shanghai Hong Kong Dublin Copenhagen Seattle Chicago San Francisco Caracas Rome Cape Town Rio Buenos Aires Paris Boston New York Berlin New Delhi Zurich Amsterdam Nairobi Warsaw A&C Black




Pocket Guide to the Birds of Britain and North-West Europe


Book Description

This invaluable book is the ultimate pocket guide to the birds of Britain and north-west Europe. Covering birds of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Netherlands, Britain, and Ireland, it describes 386 species, including all breeding species and all regular and scarce migrants. The definitive and accurate text highlights the key features that are required to make quick and safe identification. Almost every species is illustrated with a plate and all plumages regularly seen in the region are depicted. Similar species are compared to scale on double-page spreads as an aid to identification. Numerous maps are also included. Copublished with Pica Press