Shorebirds of N Hemisphere

[Colin Key]

Do any of you own "Shorebirds of The Northern Hemisphere" by Richard Chandler and, if so, how do you rate it?

Colin

[Colin Key]

Bump!!

Surely someone owns or has seen this book?

Colin :puzzled:

[Colin Key]

Obviously a very popular tome!!! :ohdear:

Colin

[john c]

I've had a good look at it in my local bookshop - and there's no doubt that it's a good book with plenty of info and generally good photos. However, the real question whether it's better than the similarly sized & priced "The Shorebird Guide" (by Michael O'Brien , Richard Crossley & Kevin Karlson). OK the latter hasn't got all European species and does have a number of non-European ones, but it had, I think, more photos which were generally of a better standard. Also, I recall that Chandler's book had more single-bird/single species portraits whilst O'Brien's had more photos of mixed groups - so more useful for comparisons. However, this is merely a recollection as I have neither!

John

[Colin Key]

Thanks for that John, I was beginning to think that this book does not exist! One of my problems is that I cannot "peruse" before purchase over here - I just order from Amazon and am either pleased or disappointed with what arrives. My last disappointment was the Helm guide "Waders of Europe, Asia and North America" by Message & Taylor (the general layout is chaotic and many of the paintings are dreadful).

I have not seen "The Shorebird Guide" but, coincidentally, I know Richard Crossley through having met him here in the Algarve. In fact, it was he who converted me from digiscoping to DSLR photography.

Cheers,

Colin

[john c]

I had another look at a copy in my local bookshop today and I think my comments are reasonably accurate; it is a good book and Richard Chandler certainly knows his waders. It might be significant, though, that the shop has now sold their copy of O'Brien et al whilst this one remains on their shelves,

John

[Grant]

I recently received this guide. I started comparing it to the other shorebird guides that I have, and recorded my thoughts here:

Shorebird Guide Comparison (http://www.birderslibrary.com/features/shorebird-guide-comparison.htm)

I looked at this primarily from the point-of-view of a North American birder, since I don't have any palearctic-specific guides. However, those outside of NA may still find this useful.

Grant McCreary

[Brian S]

Grant

Thanks for the link to your comparison of four shorebirds books. I have recently had the chance to review the new Chandler book and hope to add it to the site asap.

Brian S

[Colin Key]

I recently received this guide. I started comparing it to the other shorebird guides that I have, and recorded my thoughts here:

Shorebird Guide Comparison (http://www.birderslibrary.com/features/shorebird-guide-comparison.htm)

I looked at this primarily from the point-of-view of a North American birder, since I don't have any palearctic-specific guides. However, those outside of NA may still find this useful.

Grant McCreary

Very useful link Grant, many thanks. I have to agree with you about the Message/Taylor guide - the paintings of many of the birds (in breeding plumage especially) are way over-saturated with too much artificially accentuated plumage detail; I also do not like the layout of the book which made an attempt to "be different" but, in my opinion, failed.

Colin

[MichaelF]

Wot, no mention of Hayman, Marchant & Prater ??? :confused::wideeyed::no::nah:

[Colin Key]

Wot, no mention of Hayman, Marchant & Prater ??? :confused::wideeyed::no::nah:

Now out of print Michael (18 years since last edition), and I have never seen this tome. Copies are available on ebay, though.

Colin :smile:

P.S. This recession is curing my addiction to birding books :cry:.

[Grant]

I didn't include Hayman, Marchant & Prater since it was published so long ago. It's still useful, and I do refer to it, but for most birders I think the more recent guides would work better.

[Colin Key]

Now out of print Michael (18 years since last edition), and I have never seen this tome. Copies are available on ebay, though.

Colin :smile:

P.S. This recession is curing my addiction to birding books :cry:.

I have been a real "Silly Billy" here. I have owned "Shorebirds - an identification guide to the waders of the world" (Helm, 1986) since it was published, I just did not recognise the author's names!!! Fabulous I.D. guide (won "Best Bird Book of the Year" in 1986) and the one which I turn to when everything else fails - superb paintings, although some a little cramped on the page.

Self flagellation (:ohdear:),

Colin