Birder's Pictorial Bibliography

Birders are almost always book collectors too. Here’s the section of my bookcase that’s pretty much devoted to birds. The most used book is, of course, the Peterson’s guide to Eastern Birds. My current favorite is the book 6th from the left on the top shelf, “Identify Yourself” by Bill Thompson III. This book is 50 of the toughest birding challenges in the US. The most recent addition is “The Shorebird Guide” about 10 books over from the other. This book is 500 pages and roughly 1,500 color plates devoted to identifying US shorebirds.

We've come a long way from when J.J. Audubon's equipment list for a day of birding was a sandwich, double barrel shotgun and 200 rounds of ammo.

Well, all you have to do is take out the best of each book and put them together into one volume.

Nice library you have there RH! On a slightly different note. I am currently reading Of a Feather: A brief history of American birding by Scott Wiedensaul. As the name implies, it details in a chronological fashion the history of birding in the U.S. I have found it very interesting, well-written and informative and highly recommend it to any one interested in birding or natural history.

And this is why I am NOT a birder I could easily go over the top with it like I have photography. So, I am a bird photographer and not a "birder" per se. I find birds one of the most challenging photo subjects there is. With nature as your studio, the only thing you can really control is your camera skills.