Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!stretch.cs.mun.ca!leif!dgraham From: dgraham@kean.ucs.mun.ca (David Graham) Newsgroups: rec.birds Subject: Re: Birding in Southwest England and Ireland Message-ID: <107582@kean.ucs.mun.ca> Date: 25 Jul 90 09:30:12 GMT References: <36067@vrdxhq.verdix.com> Organization: Memorial University. St.John's Nfld, Canada Lines: 66 In article , misan@ra.abo.fi (Annika Forsten DC) writes: > In article <36067@vrdxhq.verdix.com> edm@vrdxhq.verdix.com (Ed Matthews) writes: > >> I'm going to be spending two weeks in England and Ireland in September. >> Would really like some suggestions about where to go. > > The best site guide is 'Birdwatching in Britain' by Redman and Harrap. > I expect it will be available in Britain. The Natural History Book Service > (Devon) has it anyway. Also worth mentioning: 1. 'Birdwatcher's Britain' ("the unique pocket guide to birdwatching walks"), ed. John Parslow (many contributors for different regions). Pan Books/Ordnance Survey, 1983. I apparently bought it for 4.95 pounds. Has about 25 pp. on the SW of England, with maps of walks, sites etc. 2. 'Where to Watch Birds in Devon and Cornwall', David Norman and Vic Tucker, ill. Peter Harrison. Croom Helm, 1984. I have found this book very useful indeed on trips to the SW. >> I will be touring the southwest for about five days and am already planning >> a trip to Dartmoor National Park. My schedule is reasonably flexible and >> I will be renting a car. Any recommendations for places not to miss in this >> part of England? > Norman and Tucker devote 20 pp. to Dartmoor. Best local speciality for a lot of people is probably Ring Ouzel... >> What are the standard field guides for England and Ireland? Can they be >> purchased in the US? > > I don't know which books the Brits use, but I think the best would be: > > 'The Shell Guide to the Birds of Britain' and Ireland by Ferguson-Lees, > Willis and Sharrock 9.95 pounds. This book is excellent, as Annika says, but personally I find the colours rather washed out compared to most field guides. Good descriptions and maps. > or, if you prefer to have a book about the whole of Europe > > 'Hamlyn Guide to the Birds of Britain and Europe' by Bruun, Delin and Svensson > latest revised edition. 5.95 pounds. > I still swear by my old copy of 'The Birds of Britain and Europe with North Africa and the Middle East', Heinzel, Fitter and Parslow. Collins, 1979. The Peterson guide I find not as useful, though I used it a lot and liked it before I got the Heinzel et al. I just received (though can't remember ordering) a new photographic field guide called 'Jim Flegg's Field Guide to the Birds of Britain and Europe' (photographs by Eric and David Hosking). New Holland, 1990. It looks beautiful but of course will not interest those who are ideologically opposed to photographic field guides! The photos are spectacular in many cases. *************************************************************************** David Graham dgraham@kean.ucs.mun.ca ***************************************************************************