British Birds: A photographic guide to every common species (Collins Complete Guide)

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Edited by Javier Caletrío; Pelagic Publishing, 2022; reviewed in BBby Stephen Menzie ( Brit. Birds115: 745). The first thing that strikes you about this anthology of fiction and poetry inspired by the work of artist Joseph Cornell is what a beautiful object it is. Cornell, who made boxed assemblages, was a birdwatcher and, for this book, Safran Foer invited noted writers including Joyce Carol Oates, Joanna Scott, Siri Hustvedt and Lydia Davis to respond to Cornell’s Aviary series of boxes. Their pieces appear alongside full-colour plates. The judges were particularly impressed by the way Vagrancy in Birds presents theories and observations in an easily accessible way. They also felt that the title communicates the importance of vagrancy to a range of ornithological phenomena, from the formation of new migration routes to speciation. An impressive amount of research is included in the family-by-family section, covering extralimital species records, and theories and observations about vagrancy in the given family.

The judges valued this title for its birder-orientated approach to habitats, making the topic accessible and engaging even to those among the panel who admitted they had not given it much thought previously! An initial vote from each of the judges determined the shortlist, with 11 of the 45 eligible titles going forward to the second round. The final vote took place in mid December, with the usual lively discussion and debate between the judges before they cast their votes to determine the winning title. It was tight at the top, with just a few points separating the winner from second and third place. With concise but informative text and easy-to-understand diagrams, Habitats of the World offers birders and naturalists the opportunity to learn more about the landscapes they find themselves in, both at home and abroad.

When casting their votes, the judges paid particular attention to the ornithological impact of the titles on the shortlist. Of course, ‘ornithological impact’ can be a rather broad concept – but there’s no doubt that this book will have a substantial impact on the world of ornithology. Accordingly, the title was awarded points from all six of the BBBY judges. When discussing thoughts on the title, the term ‘not preachy’ was used on multiple occasions –and that was one of the qualities that drew the judges to this book. The positive stories and practical inspiration for how individual birders can reduce their carbon footprint while engaging in their hobby make this a readable and meaningful title, and the judges felt that this was one of the most important books published in the past 12 months.

Well thought out and structured to assist the reader. . . . another one of the top quality bargain books we have come to expect from Princeton's WildGuides series."—Phil Slade, Another Bird Blog

Wild Fell is the story of conservation and rewilding from the inside, detailing the author's journey through managing a nature reserve in the Lake District. This year, Hazel McCambridge, Maria Farooqi and Jenna Woodford represented BTO on the judging panel, while Paul French, Sarah Harris and Stephen Menzie represented British Birds. By Peter Adriaens, Mars Muusse, Philippe J. Dubois and Frédéric Jiguet; Princeton University Press, 2021; reviewed in BBby Brian Small ( Brit. Birds115: 177–178) and for BTO by Fionnuala McCully. Read BTO's review of Gulls of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East: an identification guide by Fionnuala McCully As a child, my favourite Ladybird books were Garden Birds, Heath and Woodland Birds and Birds of Prey. The author’s illustrations imprinted themselves on my mind so that when I look at them now I have to make an effort to separate feelings of nostalgia from the impulse to formulate a critical or aesthetic response. There’s something charmingly idealised about the way different species all get along as they stand about on the lawn or perch in a bush, and there’s an extraordinary, almost occult power in the way Leigh-Pemberton renders the quality of twilight.