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 PRODUCT
REVIEWS
PRODUCTS
REVIEWED
Birds
of Australia's Top End Review
Coming Soon!
Birds
- their habits and skills
Review Coming
Soon!
Flight
of the Emu Review
Coming Soon!
Magpie
Alert Review
Coming Soon!
I
suspect that I am like most Australian birdwatchers - intrigued
by the birds of South- East Asia, but totally unfamiliar with
most of them. When the opportunity arose to visit Singapore and
Malaysia, I was recommended Craig Robson's A Field Guide to
the Birds of South-East Asia. I am in no position to comment
on the veracity of Robson's extensive text, but have little reason
to doubt his information, given his experience and that of his
collaborators. As a 'beginner' in South-East Asia, I was chiefly
concerned with the practicality of the book in the field.
Broadly
speaking, yes, the book works. It is a huge undertaking, with
1251 species treated, but I have two reservations, both highly
subjective.
The
first is layout. Having been confronted several times with a whole
new avifauna, I have no doubt that having the text opposite the
illustrations is by far the easiest format in the field. In Robson,
there is a brief description of distinguishing characteristics
opposite the plates, but the bulk of the text is in the second
half of the book, including, most importantly, the distribution.
Having to flick back and forth was enormously frustrating, compounded
by the fact that there are no maps. Range and status are written,
making at-a-glance reference impossible.
As
I was visiting a limited area, I resorted to placing 'sticky notes'
on each plate with species I was likely to see. This entailed
reading the distributions of all 1251 species and noting their
ranges -a tedious job indeed! It was, however, extremely useful.
For example, there are 24 full species and several more subspecies
of Phylloscopus warblers in the region, but only five occur
where I visited. Exclusion by range where so many possibilities
exist is vital, but not simple with this book. Fewer species each
on a greater number of full colour plates does, of course,
make a book more expensive, but i would happily pay more for a
volume that is truly easy to use.
Economies
are also possibly responsible for my second criticism- too many
artists. A few years ago I illustrated Chris Doughty's Birds
of the Solomons, Vanuatu and New Caledonia with Nicolas Day.
Two artists were used because the publishers were not prepared
to wait the three years it would have taken one artist to complete
the plates, with the corresponding increase in costs. Robson,
however, has used 14 artists. Some artists have apparently been
used because they are 'owl specialists' or 'pheasant specialists'.
This is fine but, unfortunately in my opinion, three of the artists
are simply not up to the standard of most of the others, both
artistically and anatomically, resulting in an inconsistent set
of plates.
I
also found extremes in the treatment of colouration. Some species
with delicate gradations of colour like that of a Grey Shrike-thrush
are shown as having distinct colour patches like that of a Mudlark,
whereas other species that appeared as luminous jewels in my binoculars
are painted in confusingly dull tones. I know colours can be altered
through printing, but I feel that some of the faults lie in the
original artwork.
This
is not to say that this is a poor book - quite the contrary. It
is an immense achievement; and an invaluable aid to any birder
in the region. Layout preference and choice of artists are very
personal considerations. Most of the time, given a decent view,
I was able to identify what I saw. I suspect that cost constraints
may have been responsible for any shortcomings. Perhaps the limited
time I was in South-East Asia is partly to blame, in which case
my only option is to visit again! And I'll be taking Robson's
book with me.
This
is a fact filled, illustrated children's story that follows a
Wedge-tailed Eagle from egg to adult. Barry Baker read it to his
son, Jamie, who said: "I like the book but I don't want to
read it again because it is too long. I liked some of the pictures.
I liked the birds and I liked the baby hatching out of the egg.
I don't want to say anything more.' Daughter Zoe read it herself
and commented: "I like it and I think that other little kids
will like it too. I think the illustrations are really good. It
had a few tricky words in it.'
Bird Calls of the Broome Region
THERE
IS PERHAPS nothing more evocative of a special area or time in
one's life than the sound of certain bird calls. Certainly a Scot
may be brought close to tears on hearing a lone curlew calling
across the moors -even if she or he were born and bred in Glasgow!
So this CD will bring back many memories for the birder who has
been to Roebuck Bay, Broome, WA, at northward migration times,
when the waders are getting fractious and are ready to leave for
their northern breeding grounds. For the birder who is thinking
of making the trip, it is a fascinating introduction.
In
his Introduction to the CD, David Stewart gives a brief account
of the migratory waders and bush birds of the Broome area, and
the reasons why certain recordings are from areas other than Broome.
Unlike more conventional recordings, in this CD the names of the
birds come after the recordings. Although David's reasons for
this are probably good ones we found this irritating and confusing,
and it made it more difficult to concentrate on the recordings
themselves.
David
Stewart sounds a very phlegmatic character and he clearly understates
his achievement in capturing some of these sounds when he states
in the Introduction that some of the wader calls are 'quite difficult'
to record. Sound recording is a difficult art to master and he
has tackled some very difficult subjects, particularly the waders'
migration calls. In Broome it is very difficult to isolate particular
species from the masses, and without filtering gismos the recordist
has done particularly well.
The
migration calls are especially interesting and are a valuable
aid to the identification of these birds. There cannot be many
recordings of Broad-billed Sandpiper or Asian Dowitcher available
on the market at the moment. The sounds of Gull-billed Tern are
fascinating, as we have seen many small flocks migrating but rarely
heard them make a noise.
David
Stewart has to be commended for the clarity of the recordings,
as from previous experience in helping sound recordists in Broome
they are a difficult group of people to please! They can hear
cars and noises from the Port of Broome many kilometres away,
neither of which are evident on this CD.
The
bush birds are also a joy to listen to, and the suite of mangrove
birds is particularly well done. For southern and eastern birders
the regional accents of some species such as the Grey Shrike-thrush
and Restless Flycatcher will come as a surprise. The call of the
Pied Butcherbird will remind previous visitors to the Broome Bird
Observatory of moonlit nights and foggy mornings. The recording
of the White-throated Gerygone is superb.
There
are one or two areas where there could be an improvement. Firstly,
the presentation. If this is to be a commercial venture the casual
birding buyer may be put off if they extrapolate from the quality
of the cover printing to the quality of the recording inside.
The lurid colour scheme is enhanced by the shocking pink of the
bases to the godwit bills and the disappearance of the recordist's
name among the rocks. A more typical picture of Broome showing
the famous cliff sandwich of blue sky, red sand and blue ocean
would have captured the atmosphere better.
It
is also a shame that Bird Calls of the Broome Region has been
infiltrated by recordings from other areas; for instance the very
first species, Brown Quail, is from Queensland. The value of a
regional recording is the identification of possible differences
in accents. This is particularly true of some bush birds, which
given the scale of difficulty in recording migrating waders should
have been relatively easy to obtain in Broome. Species such as
Red-headed Honeyeater and Mangrove Gerygone which were recorded
at Palmerston Sewerage Works in Darwin, are examples that stand
out.
The
other surprise is the omission of all the doves, except as incidentals
on some of the other recordings, and the finches. This is a great
pity as the doves and finches at the Broome Bird Observatory are
probably the most appealing noises in the Pindan and would certainly
remind people of the entertainment around the bird baths. Three
species that we would also have liked included are the White-bellied
Sea Eagle, Brahminy Kite and Pheasant Coucal. These birds are
common in the Pindan and along the cliffs of Roebuck Bay, and
are some of the common sounds of the area.
These
are, however, relatively minor criticisms when the whole recording
is considered. David Stewart is to be commended for his obvious
patience and in some cases presence of mind in using good luck,
witness the Yellow Wagtail call. Experienced birders will find
the CD instructive with many different calls and regional differences
for common species, and for the inexperienced the quality of the
recordings will help in the recognition of many species.
Overall,
this production has found a place in our well-played CD collection
and in the cold Victorian winters will be played many times.
 Birds of Australia's Top End Coming
Soon! Review
by Niven McCrie (From Wingspan, Vol 12 No. 3 September 2002)
NIVEN
MCCRIE has been living and birding in the Top End since 1985.
This
photographic field guide is intended as an introduction to the
birds of New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago. It supplements
the field guide Birds of New Guinea (Beehler et al. 1986), which
does not cover the Bismarck Archipelego. The text of the species
accounts has been derived mainly from Brian Coates' splendid reference
work The Birds of Papua New Guinea, vols. 1 & 2 (1985 &
1990), taking into account new information. Some of the photographs
are also from that work.
Some
800 species have been recorded in the region, of which about 390
are endemic. The book describes and illustrates in colour photographs
444 species, including many of the endemic and near-endemic species;
only limited coverage is given to wide-ranging species like shorebirds
and seabirds.
The
entry for each of the illustrated species gives size, a brief
description emphasising field characters, voice, habitat and range.
Males, females, immatures, and different subspecies are treated.
The notes on habits appear especially helpful. Differences from
confusing species (including species not depicted) are explained.
I have not yet used the book in the field but despite the unavoidable
terseness of the entries in such a small book treating so many
species, I believe it would be very useful.
There
is a glossary of ornithological and habitat terminology, and a
checklist of796 species showing which occur in western or eastern
New Guinea, or the Bismarcks, and which are endemic, vagrant,
etc. (I wish that compilers of checklists for areas like this,
where altitude is so important for distribution, would devise
away of briefly indicating altitudinal, as well as geographic,
range.) The endpapers have very good coloured topographic maps,
of PNG and the Bismarcks in front, and Irian Jaya in the back.
Most
of the photographs are by Brian Coates and the late Bill Peckover,
with 17 other photographers represented. I usually dislike photographic
field guides, as they rarely show field character as well as an
artist can, but overall Brian Coates has succeeded very well in
assembling images which show field character. Many of the birds
photographed by Bill Peckover were captured, then photographed
under controlled conditions, prior to release back into the wild.
Most of these images show field characters especially well, and
demonstrate typical jizz. For many species, different plumages
or subspecies are illustrated.
I
recommend this book and will be taking both it and Beehler on
my next trip to PNG.
Birds - their habits and skills Coming Soon!
Review
by Jim Davis (From Wingspan, Vol 12 No. 3 September 2002)
JIM
DAVIS is Editor of the Interpretive Birding Bulletin, a publication
specialising in avain behaviour: www.ibirding.com
Eagles, Hawks and Falcons of AustraliaReview
from Wingspan, Vol 13 No.4 December 2003
David
Hollands, Bloomings Books, 2003, hardcover, 220pp
A
second edition of this popular publication, with some additions
to the text and new photographs of rarely seen species, for example,
the Christmas Island Brown Goshawk and Red Goshawk. This personal
account is packed with information on each of Australia's 24 species
of birds of prey and a remarkable set of photographs taken by
the author. Unfortunately, the reproduction quality sometimes
lets it down.
Essential Guide to Bird Photography Review
by Michael Seyfort (From Wingspan, Vol 13 No. 1 March 2003)
MICHAEL
SEYFORT is an avid bird photographer and Birds Australia member.
An
Essential Guide to Bird Photography is a lavishly illustrated,
soft-covered, square format book. Published in the UK in 2001,
it is written by Steve Young, one of Britain's foremost bird photographers
and a regular columnist for Birdwatch and Outdoor Photography
magazines.
The
book is aimed primarily at newcomers to bird photography and in
that it succeeds admirably. Written with an engaging warmth and
humour, it introduces the reader to the joys and the disappointments,
the frustrations and difficulties that are all part and parcel
of photographing birds.
The
book's coverage of equipment and its use is thorough without being
too technical, and includes recent developments such as digital
cameras, autofocus lenses, and lenses with built-in Image Stabiliser
(IS) and Vibration Reduction (VR) systems. The best type of film
to use is discussed, with pictures to illustrate the differences
between films.
With
the increasing popularity of scopes, the use of a camera attached
to the scope by means of a photo-adaptor is examined. The
use of a motor drive camera to photograph seabirds - such as gulls
and terns - in flight is well illustrated on p.10. The newly developing
practice of rapid sequence imaging, using a digital camera on
a scope is, however, not discussed - it's probably too new to
be included.
Right
from the outset, Steve Young reaffirms the contemporary view that
photographing birds at the nest, and feeding young, is unacceptable,
and none of the 252 photos in the book show nesting birds. The
author describes and illustrates the various techniques used to
attain photographs depending on the situation. He discusses the
design and use of hides to photograph birds, feeding tables, flowering
shrubs and other feeding or drinking situations. Also the use
of long lenses in stalking birds in the bush or photographing
waders, and - hardest of all - photographing birds in flight.
There
are many excellent photos. One lovely shot of a Greenshank
(p.3) must be an inspiration to all who would like to take good
photos. The brid is front-on, head turned to one side but making
eye contact with the photographer. It's not just a good portrait,
but evokes empathy between the viewer and the subject - the essence
of what good bird photography is all about.
Other
notable photos include a Marsh Sandpiper marching through foam
at the water's edge (p.134), a Turnstone being splashed in the
face by a breaking wave (p.139), and a delightful shot of a Ruddy
Duck surfacing from a dive with green algae plastered over its
head (p.118). Also included are some entertaining photos of Twitchers
converging en masse, with scopes and long-lensed cameras, on some
unfortunate rare vagrant. Truly a British spectacle!
This
book is highly recommended and will be inspirational stuff indeed
for many a newcomer to bird photography. Established photographers
will also find the book interesting, and non-photographers will
enjoy the many excellent photographs.
Academic,
wildlife consultant, author, researcher, conservationist, bird-carer
and art appreciator... Dr Penny Olsen has the classic pedigree
to write a history of Australian bird art.
Feather
and Brush is an important book: a seminal overview of three
centuries of bird painters which has melded wondrously the continuum
of individual perception into a coherent movement of creative
expression. It presents Australian bird art as a metier with singular
origins, which has become significant through its diversity. However,
as many of the diverse elements are drawn from new visions, rather
than refinements of technique, their potential appeal to the broad
spectrum of art buyers is now inhibited by the prescriptive
classification of 'wildlife art'. It is time for artists who paint
birds to look for more expansive horizons than those visible from
a generic bunker.
As
the book charts one of the most exciting periods of ornithological
discovery in wildlife history, it also parallels the discovery
and evolving social history of our nation, documenting the industry
and enterprise of artists, functionaries and settlers who recorded
the extraordinary birds around them. It is a sad irony that some
of those species have already become mere statistics.
This
large, handsome volume showcases the work of one hundred Australian
and European artists in more than 250 full-colour images: it is
a mesmerising kaleidoscope of visual sensations which are made
relevant by Penny Olsen's crisp, lucid prose. The pace of excitement
and discovery is sustained by shifts in focus and emphasis, and
an apposite interaction between text and illustration.
As
a bonus, here is a compendium of all you need to know - or never
thought to ask - about bird artists. For example, I didn't know
that the ubiquitous Port Jackson Painter had more personae than
Walter Mitty, any more than I knew that Jeremy Boot was born in
Java, or that there were two Neville Cayleys (father and son).
Other ignoramuses and busybodies will also enjoy the extensive
references,
the
list of artists (and their ages!) and a comprehensive index.
Historic
artists
The
early illustrations are selected perceptively: each is remarkable
for context and/or content. If I could plunder the past from this
eclectic plethora of pictorial pleasures, I would seize first
Ferdinand Bauer's elegant duo of Pale-headed Rosella (1802)
and Hooded Parrot (1803). Then I'd grab John Cotton's fluid,
tilting sketch of Grey-crowned Babbler (1844-9), and his
field drawings of the Little Wattlebird (1844-9). Next
priority would be James Sowerby's Ground Parrot (1794),
for here the artist's instinct, rather than careful observation,
has created an unforgettable image. I would want Victor Victorszoon's
engraving Black Swan (1697) for historical significance,
but most of all because the birds swim upstream and uphill in
a tipsy perspective.
Charmingly
bizarre is Anon's watercolour of a Rainbow Lorikeet (c.
1795), in which a massive saurian-like body topped by tiny winglets
bends a diminutive tree to breaking point. As partner to this,
Charles Reuben Ryley's raffish and dissipated Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo
(1792-6) may well exemplify a Britisher's vision of a Colonial.
John Hunter's flair for design puts his Australian King-Parrot
(1788-90) on my wall, and the Port Jackson Painter's Purple
Swamphen (1788-92) gets the nod for stylish, if unconscious,
humour. Pink-Eared Duck (c.1825), a curiously calming watercolour
by an artist for Sir Thomas Hardwicke, earns a special place.
And a page of cockatoos by Gustav Mutzel (1878-83) is hypnotically
compelling as the birds are moulded with the puffy porosity of
styrofoam.
Last
of my expropriation of national treasures is Neville Henry Penniston
Cayley's Lathams Snipe (c. 1896); the stilted treatment
of movement on an austere background endows the image of a mortally
wounded bird with a painful poignancy.
Contemporary
works
Thirty-four
contemporary artists are each represented by three or four large-format
colour plates. The heavyweights, familiar from field guides, books
and monographs, are all there, flanked by aspirants of the same
genre. Opposed or complementary, according to your view, is a
group of individuals who are singular in style and direction.
Nomenclature is now contentious, and it is difficult- if r not
dangerous -to discriminate between illustration and art. This
aside, the sum of the parts is a ii formidable array of talent
and skill.
One
concern is that some of the work is so polished that it says more
about technique than it does about the birds or the artists. Another
is that so many of the younger artists have opted for such comfortable
visions -but time will shape new insights for some of them.
Following
the chronology of the book, paintings which attracted my particular
interest were: Robert Ullman's graphic Little Penguin;
Robin Hill's elegant Crimson Rosella; William T. Cooper's
majestic Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo; Humphrey Price-Jones's
Barn Owl, Glenys Buzza's Superb Lyrebird; Syd Tunn's
totemic Tawny Frogmouth; a Richard Weatherly's splendid
Emu; Jeremy Boot's Eastern Spinebill; any of Ona
Henderson's luminous introspections; Krystii Melaine's reverberating
Malleefowl; and Tony Pridham's Pink-eared Duck.
This
extraordinary assembly of the visions of one hundred artists across
three hundred years makes a dramatic and emotive statement for
the conservation cause.
Feather
and Brush is a beautiful book. There's never been anything like
it before. It is a treasure chest for aficionados, an enlightenment
for embryonic environmentalists, a jewelled-niche for historians
- and if you don't have it on your coffee table you can expect
to be a social pariah by the day after tomorrow!
Flight of the Emu Coming
Soon! Review
by Stephen Davies (From Wingspan, Vol 12 No. 1 March 2002)
STEPHEN
DAVIES was the first Director of the RAOU (1984-89).
Magpie Alert Coming Soon! Review
by Jim Davis (From Wingspan, Vol 12 No. 4 Dec 2002)
JIM
DAVIS is Editor of the Interpretive Birding Bulletin, a publication
specialising in avain behaviour: www.ibirding.com
I
watched both the NZ Waterbirds and NZ Landbirds videos back to
back and enjoyed them both. For me it was a mixture of the familiar
and of frustration. Many members of my family live in New Zealand's
North Island and I have visited them on a number of occasions
- so many of the birds and locations were familiar to me. On the
other hand many were for the South Island, which I have yet to
be lucky enough to visit, hence the frustration.
So
what of the films? For the most part my verdict is excellent 4.5
out of a possible 5! The filming is very good and shows birds
in natural habitat with enough long shots to really understand
their needs and enough close-ups to help with ID. These are birders
films - documentaries that give just the right information in
measured tones from a good narrator. The direction is good and
each bird is dealt with comprehensively and well.
So
why not 5 out of 5?
In
a word - music. Why do film makers (or more likely distributors)
think that we need to fill the gaps not occupied by words with
music? Personally I don't want any background and much prefer
to hear the natural sounds of the birds or the wind in the trees
and the waves crashing on the shores. But, if we must have music
does it have to be this naff?
Fatbirder
note to all documentary makers - dump the naff music, let tranquility
express itself through the sounds of the wild - it has never needed
human intervention!
Created:
7th Jun 2001
Nikon Sporter I Binoculars
High
on quality, low on price
Binocular
manufacturers are constantly looking for ways in which they can
improve performance and handling, though it often means a premium
on the price. Not so Nikon's new 10x36 roof prism binocular, however,
which is a snip at twice the cost, argues ROY BEDDARD.
SOME
TIME AGO I reviewed a pair of the new top-of-the-range Nikon HG
(high grade) binoculars and though that they were just about the
best binoculars I had ever looked through. The high initial price
has now significantly reduced and today they are accepted as one
to the best buys on the market.
Previously, Nikon had been known to British birders
chiefly for its excellent scopes, but the introduction of the
HG range changed that and the company's binoculars have become
one of the makes that need to be considered in any new purchase.
It was therefore with some interest that I approached this latest
Nikon model, which is priced firmly in the 'value for money' area
of the market. The rather unfortunately named 'Sporter I' comes
in two sizes, 8x and 10x, both with a 36mm objective lens. The
review pair were of the higher magnification, permitting direct
comparison with my own 10x binoculars of another well-know make.
In appearance the Nikons are compact and have a well-styled,
if rather plain, look, being finished in matt black rubber armour.
This gives some protection against knocks and also gives a very
comfortable grip. The firmness of this grip is maintained even
when the binoculars are wet from use in the rain. They are said
to be 'water resistant', whatever that means - as far as I could
see it is not defined in the accompanying literature, so I presume
it means there is a limit to the amount of water they can withstand
before it penetrates the internal workings. My own use in fairly
heavy rain did not appear to cause problems.
The binoculars come with a neck-strap, rainguard and
a soft, lightly padded carrying case for ease of transport. The
compact size makes for a very snug feel in the hand, making them
suitable for use by smaller hands. At about 750g with the strap
and rainguard fitted, the weight is average for this size, and
the instruments have a 'chunky' well-made feel about them.
The binoculars are provided with the usual range of
adjustable features, which are well thought out and show careful
attention to design detail. The eye-cups have generous eye relief
for ease of use with spectacles, and are adjustable with a twisting
motion to change the position of the cup. The top and bottom positions
are provided with a click-stop to prevent movement during use.
However, this click-stop is not very pronounced, and only time
will tell whether it well reduce in effectiveness. The diopter
adjustment is on the right eyepiece, as usual, and adjustment
is easily made via a rubberised, twisting ring. This enables any
difference between the user's eyes to be readily accommodated.
Change of focus is made via a generously sized and centrally placed
rubberised, knurled wheel which is very smooth in operation, with
no hint of 'backlash'. The rainguard is attached to the strap
and fits snugly, but no so tight that quick removal is impeded.
To ensure it doesn't get in the way, the rainguard should be threaded
onto the neck-strap at one end only.
The optical performance was assessed over a period
of several weeks in a range of different light conditions. The
multi-coated lenses give bright images free of any colour fringes,
even when looking against bright light. The field width is very
adequate and sharp images are provided across almost the full
width of view, with only a small amount of barreling evident (distortion
of straight edges close to the edge of the field). Field depth
is generous, which means that relatively little adjustment is
required in general use except when close focus is necessary.
This comes down to three metres, which is average for today's
market and essential for looking at small close objects such as
butterflies and dragonflies. The objective lens size of 36mm causes
some limitations in poor light conditions, such as at dawn or
in heavy forest shadow. At such times the 8x binoculars will obviously
have superior light-gathering performance, arguably a worthwhile
trade-off against the reduction in magnification.
The overall performance, the comfortable handling
and the very reasonable price of these new Nikons offer exceptional
value for money. The new range should prove extremely attractive
to birders with a limited budget who are still looking for superior
performance, and may be of particular interest to the growing
numbers of those interested in butterflies, dragonflies and moths.
Nikon Spotter XL
I
purchased my Spotter XL from you guys a couple of weeks back and
went straight to a nearby wetland to test it out. The weather
was a bit dull but the scope worked like magic. The first
thing I noticed was the brightness of the image. I've borrowed
other people's scopes to look through and I had an old Kowa TSN1
a few years ago now and the Nikon gives the sort of light I'd
expect through the larger bodied scopes.
The
scope is water tight - sealed - and can cope with the rain but
the manual says not to submerge it so I'll take note of that.
It's also airtight making it fogproof. All in all
it's a pretty robust package.
The
fitted 16-47x eyepiece is smooth to operate and focusing is easy
enough - without the benefits of a fold down or push pull eyecup
- so using it can be a little disconcerting until you get used
to the eyepiece. The front lens element cover that is permanently
attached is a great idea too. And it ships with a case and
strap! I forgot to ask about a case when I bought the scope and
was pleasantly surprised when I opened the box.
The
other major thing I like about the scope is the size. At 32cms
long and having a front lens diameter of 60mm the scope is easy
to carry around - I leave it in my daypack until it's needed,
bang it onto my monopod and get the best viewing experience possible.
I'd give it 8 out of 10. If you can't afford the price
of a full sized scope see if your budget will stretch to the SpotterXL.
Complaints?
None about the scope and I've only got good things to say about
your efforts in the shop there. I was a little apprehensive
about buying on-line sight unseen but getting hold of the Nikon
was the best purchase I've made in quite awhile. Thanks.
Photographic Field Guide: Birds of AustraliaAustralian Birds - A Concise Photographic Field GuideReview
by Michael Morcombe (From Wingspan, Vol 13 No. 1 March 2003)
MICHAEL
MORCOMBE is author of more than many books, including the Michael
Morcombe Field Guide to Australian Birds.
Photographic
Field Guide: Birds of Australia - by Jim Flegg. 2002, 368pp.
Australian
Birds: A Concise Photographic Field Guide - by Donald and
Molly Trounson, 2002, 392pp.
Two
recent field guides, each with a different approach to bird recognition,
prompt reflection on the diversity of guides now available.
Traditionally,
the approach taken has been to arrange the birds in family order,
a sequence which, although modified from time to time, is familiar
to all with some experience of bird books.
There
have been numerous attempts to find other ways of arranging the
bird population, usually for the benefit of beginners. Neville
Cayley's pioneering What Bird is That?, for example, grouped
birds by habitat, so we have 'Birds of the Rainforest and Scrubs',
'Birds of Reed-beds and Grasslands', and so on. The popularity
of this approach is evidenced by the fact that, although first
published in 1931, Cayley's book is still on sale today.
To
beginners, this approach is probably initially easier than the
family order. But it has drawbacks: similar-looking, usually closely
related birds are often separated into different chapters, so
that it can be difficult to compare species that look alike but
use different habitats.
This
habitat-based approach works quite well for birds that are confined
to a single habitat, but many species - probably most - use more
than one habitat, and some are found in many, or even most habitats.
Where should they be placed? How would a beginner, or even experienced
birdwatcher, know in which habitat to look first for these widespread
species?
In
his guide, Cayley recognised this problem by grouping all birds
of prey together, regardless of habitat, in the chapter, 'Diurnal
Birds of Prey', by size of bird in 'Australia's Largest Birds',
and by behaviour in 'Nocturnal Birds'.
A
new guide by Donald and Molly Trounson tries a mixed approach.
The book is first divided into two broad groups, 'Land Birds'
and 'Water Birds', then within each of these there is a mixture
of groupings based on habitat (e.g. 'Ground-frequenting Birds',
'Marsh Birds') as well as family-based groupings (e.g. 'Diurnal
Birds of Prey', 'Swallow-like Birds').
But,
as Cayley found, some birds seem hard to position, and have been
placed in chapters such as 'Other Small Brightly-coloured Birds'
or 'Mostly Black-and-White Birds'. There is a back-up facility,
a short index of English names at the front of the book. The book
contains many small photographs, mostly of excellent quality.
Maps and concise text are separate from the photos, at the back
of the book.
A
second edition of the Australian Museum's Photographic Field Guide:
Birds of Australia by Jim Flegg, also contains many good quality
photos. This guide follows the usual family arrangement of birds
but remains with the 1975 rather than the current 1994 order.
This should be only a minor disadvantage, and no doubt results
from the high cost of a major rearrangement of pages.
Both
books are photographic field guides, using one or several photos
to show each species, rather than paintings. Whether photography
or art is best able to serve to identify birds is probably a matter
of personal preference: each has advantages and drawbacks.
In
favour of use of photographs is the impression that a photo must
be an accurate image of the species; a painting of the other hand
is an artist's impression.
Photos
or paintings?
As
one who has made use of both, a photographer of birds for more
than 40 years who then chose to use paintings to illustrate a
field guide, I can but make a few observations on the subject.
Certainly,
photos capture the realism of the moment and of the individual
bird in the picture. Paintings are usually an image typical of
the species, simplified, often without background. Paintings can
capture the character, the 'jiz', of the species, this depending
not merely upon the artist's accuracy of plumage details, but
more importantly on his or her knowledge of the bird, its stance,
flight, or behaviour, in the field.
Photographs,
however, are not immune to inaccuracy. A photo shows an individual
bird, so needs to be chosen with care such that it is an individual
typical of the species. It should not have any false markings,
such as a shadow from a twig or part of its own body, casting
a dark band or patch that can look like a darker area of plumage.
Shadowed
under-wings of flying birds will be exposed darker on film, while
upper-wing surfaces will be rendered paler. But this will vary,
whether taken under direct sun, softer light under cloud, or with
strongly reflected light from below: from sand or sea, gloss or
shine or angle of light can affect plumage colours.
Some
artists paint without using sharply cast shadow, giving just enough
recognition of an overhead light source to indicate the rounded
shape of the body. Others prefer to put in shadow with hard edges
which, unless very skillfully done, runs the risk that these shadows
may look like plumage markings, as can happen in photos.
Artists
can use colours inaccurately. Museum specimens may be examined
under artificial light and the painting then done under natural
or artificial light.
Photos
likewise depend on lighting conditions, using sunlight, which
gives warmer colours, or flash, which usually results in cooler,
slightly bluish colours. Colour rendering of film varies slightly
with brand, and often colour slides fade with age, some developing
a brownish cast, others a purplish bias.
The
greatest difficult in putting together a photographic field guide
is in finding photos for each and every species, to show male,
female, juvenile, perched and flight, as may be necessary. Each
photo tends to take much more space then the very small painted
illustrations that can be crammed into a guide using paintings,
so photographic guides typically have far fewer illustrations
that the painted guides. An artist can position his bird to display
the plumage features most important for identification; photos
showing field marks for all races and plumages may be difficult
to find.
After
its creation, often largely beyond control of its author, the
book is then subject to the printing process, and variations of
colour that may arise. For example, photos or artwork printed
on glossy or semi-gloss paper tend to have brighter colours that
those on dull or matte surface paper.
I
will leave it to individual users to keep in mind these strengths
and limitations. Most bird enthusiasts use several guides, so
there is merit in having both the painted and the photographic
types for their relative strengths.
Pentium
120+ with 16 Mb RAM, 640x480 display with 256 colours, quad speed
CD ROM, 16 bit+ sound card and Windows 95 or 98 recommended.
Perhaps
I shouldn't have been, but I was disappointed on first viewing
of this CD ROM. Having twice been to Australia birding, and, on
each occassion using Simpson & Day's excellent field guide
(two different editions including the one that this product is
based on), I am familiar with the work. In fact, I much prefer
it to the alternatives. However, it doesn't quite come off as
a CD ROM.
The
pitch on the packaging may reveal why - it is presented as a product
for schools gearing up to exams and it has the feel of an educational
device rather than as an on-screen field guide. One can use it
as a reference and this is supplemented with background chapters
on Australia's habitats etc. It will, I am sure, work well for
its intended purpose but it just didn't compare to the CD ROMS
I have in my collection on European, South African and American
birds. Maybe I have been spoilt by video clips and comparison
screens, still photographs alongside purposely designed drawings.
Maybe I have a jaded pallet or am just getting too long in the
tooth to go back to school.
I
even found the illustrations disappointing - yet those very same
illustrations were, I thought, brilliant in the field guide. It
took a while for me to figure out why - on the screen they are,
of course, much bigger than on a page of the field guide. This
makes a huge difference. What appears to be detailed in the book,
seems sketchy on a large screen. Colours compacted on a page work
yet those same colours blown up large look washed out or lurid.
My
overall verdict is that, if you are thinking of going to Australia
and want something to give you a good basic grounding in the bird
families, habitats and calls then buy this product. If you are
the parent of a young Aussie birder then this could be of great
value to them as an introduction and source of information. However,
if you are familiar with the bird families and land, have used
Simpson & Day in the field and are looking for help with those
difficult to separate species then this is not for you. Ask the
man at "The Birding Shop" what else they have to meet
that need!
Fatbirder
note for anyone else thinking of producing a CD ROM based on line
drawings or other art work; commission the illustrations for viewing
on a high resolution screen - do not use existing drawings created
for a pocket guide!
Created:
6th Jun 2001
Spix's MacawReview
by Andrew Stafford (From Wingspan, Vol 13 No. 1 March 2003)
ANDREW
STAFFORD is Editor of Wingspan's Twitcher's Corner.
The history of
birds is littered with extinctions, and for no family more so
than the parrots: a case, perhaps, of humanity's tendency to destroy
that which it most covets. The story of the Spix's Macaw - the
brilliant blue parrot with the paler, powder-blue head - is only
the most recent example. Always rare, but pushed to the very precipice
by trappers, this bird commanded such obscene sums of money on
the black market that, gram for gram, it soon became more valuable
than heroin. By the late 1980s Spix's Macaw was feared extinct.
As it turned out,
it wasn't. In June 1990, the International Council of Bird Preservation
dispatched Tony Juniper and a party of fellow ornithologists into
the remote interior of north-east Brazil for one last look. After
a month's searching, they found a single bird living in the gallery
woodlands fringing a small tributary of the River São Francisco:
the same location where its female partner had been taken by trappers
on Christmas Eve of 1987. It was, in fact, the last wild Spix.
Here, at what locals themselves like to call `the end of the world',
survived a species truly at the point of no return.
The story of the
Spix's Macaw is in itself a remarkable one, but two things distinguish
Juniper's book from the vast bulk of natural history publications.
First, this man can really write: you can feel your scalp
prickling with the unforgiving heat and peculiar menace of a landscape
most readers will never visit. Populated mainly by cowboys and
cacti, the parched caatinga scrub of north-east Brazil is not
known as the `Backlands' for nothing. And yet there is beauty
here too, which Juniper so evocatively captures from the opening
sentence: `The blue parrot came to rest on a bare sun-bleached
branch that stuck out from the bushy crown of a craggy old caraiba
tree.'
Second, Juniper's
narrative is truly multi-dimensional. By sucking us into the vortex
of one bird's seemingly terminal demise, Juniper unpicks a dense
web of interwoven themes. To read this book is to understand that
the slow death of the Spix cannot be reduced solely to a wealthy
band of obsessive aviculturists: rather, it's the inevitable end
result of a long history of colonisation, globalisation and an
ever-widening gap between rich and poor.
Following Juniper
and Co.'s discovery of the last wild Spix, an amnesty was declared,
allowing those in possession of illegally procured birds to come
forward in the hope of beginning a co-ordinated captive breeding
program and, in the long term, a gradual reintroduction of the
species to its home State. What transpires - a tale of hope, frustration
and ultimately betrayal - is grim reading, and the ultimate fate
of the Spix's Macaw may one day live in infamy alongside the Carolina
Parakeet and the Dodo. It may, but Juniper is ultimately an optimist,
and avoids turning his parable into an admission of defeat.
Purists may quibble
over Juniper's occasional lapses into parrots-are-people-too anthropomorphism,
and one last edit may have pruned some of the more flowery passages.
The bottom line, though, is that Spix's Macaw is a great,
gorgeous gift of a book: a passionate piece of writing that's
about so much more than the destiny of its subject.
Michael Morcombe's Field Guide to Australian BirdsWe
present 3 reviews of the newest Australian Field Guide.
Books,
birds and all that jizz
Not
too many lifetimes ago, Australian birds could be identified with
the assistance of one field guide and one field guide only - Cayley.
Then eventually there was Slater, followed after some time by
Pizzey, then Simpson and Day in a range of formats, followed soon
after by Pizzey and Knight.
There
was something for everyone in these - clear simple illustrations
in one; strong field notes in another, habit drawings in another.
Just when we thought the field was full, along comes Michael Morcombe's
opus, all 3400 illustrations of 850 species. The book was 14 years
in development and is digitally prepared. If updates are needed,
it is the simplest matter to do.
I
fell in love with it instantly, primarily for the following feature.
There is a ready reckoner for finding the family of birds you
need, without flicking fervently from page to page searching while
a skittish bird nicks off. A double spread on pages 8 and 9 shows
a table of families, with representative species of the family
groups for the textually challenged, colour coded down the side
of the page. This relates to the same colour code and position
through the book where the illustrations, text and distribution
maps can be found. The system is akin to the thumb-marks in a
Bible that help find Proverbs or Revelations quickly. The colour
code is also given on the endpaper so that even the more obtuse
of us can find the relevant pages to begin our attempts at identification
before the bird has disappeared.
In
the body of the guide, the text describing each species is exactly
opposite the illustration, and there is a formal organisation
of pages where similar species need to be compared for a positive
identification.
Where
identification is a little more straight forward, the layout is
less formal and the author can indulge himself with illustrations
of the bird flying, and/or representing a little of the jizz;
(a wonderful term, that!). This is all described in the book itself
in a quite comprehensive introduction.
The
illustrations are complete with pointers to identification - little
marks beside the eyebrow or rump that indicate the specifics to
look for to assist in putting a name to a bird. This would have
been useful for us recently in Wyperfeld, where a cuckoo was perched
soundless on a dead limb on a dull day. The seeming lack of colour
on the breast led to an argument - Fantailed Cuckoo! No, Brush
Cuckoo. Nah, no way- it's too big. And so it raged. Morcombe tells
us that we should have concentrated on the appearance of the eye
ring. Believe it or not, I'm actually looking forward to my next
tussle with thornbills, as Morcombe suggests such a range of distinguishing
features that they might as well call out to me their own names.
The
field notes opposite the illustrations do not include information
on breeding, as the guide contains nearly 60 pages towards the
back of notes, illustrations of nests and of eggs. I found this
to be an extremely useful addition. As one who found his way into
mature- ornithology from adolescent oology, I appreciate a handsome
egg, and a babbler's domed nest, with eggs covered in a network
of veins, or a chough's nest, full of creamy coloured eggs splotched
purple and grey, gave me much childhood pleasure. My present work
in environmental education is in penance for my monstrous crimes.
Michael
Morcombe is an extremely successful bird photographer with more
than 40 publications to his credit. At the launch of the guide
in late September, by which time all 10,000 copies in the first
print run had sold out, he told of times behind the viewfinder.
In a precarious hide 1 metre away from a nest 30 metres up a tree,
he would feel the hide shake when the bird landed. He reckons
that he develops quite a feeling for his subjects.
Many
many illustrations in the guide are of birds in flight, primary
feathers extended and tails fanned. You, dear reader, might have
quicker eyes than I, but I rarely see birds in such poses that
these illustrations are very helpful. I suspect that they are
testament to the author's abiding interest in bird photography
and then preparing composite illustrations from these photos.
The illustration of the Spotted Harrier on the title page shows
a harrier in typical hawking behaviour, with added detail from
a photograph of a bird alighting at a nest 50 metres at the top
of a steel wire ladder up a farm tree. Michael Morcombe's craft
is not for the faint hearted.
I
like a Mistletoebird, but why does it appear twice? Is it a honeyeater
or a flowerpecker. Morcombe hedges his bets and presents it with
both families, the Meliphagidae and the Dicaeidae. And the Sunbird,
very nice too, but so nice that it should appear twice? Michael
Morcombe's Field Guide to Australian Birds comprises 450 richly-coloured
pages, and, being slightly larger than Pizzey and Knight, is getting
up there in size. I suggest that you carry a slightly larger haversack
for this one, for it is a book that you will want to take with
you. It is innovative with some exceptional features, and it is
no false promise when the cover notes proclaim this to be a truly
comprehensive field guide.
Michael
Morcombe's Field Guide to Australian Birds
Review
by Peter S Lansley (By Submission)
Peter
Lansley is a Section Editor (Social Organisation) for the Handbook
of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds (HANZAB).
Based
on first impressions, this field guide seems reasonably comprehensive
in its treatment, and has good layout, with the main text on each
species on the page opposite the illustrations. Clearly a lot
of work has gone into producing it. It contains appreciably more
information on behaviour, calls and subspecies than previous guides.
In size, it is about the height of Pizzey & Knight, about
2 cm wider but not quite so thick; also a bit taller than Simpson
& Day. The dimensions are fine for the car or perhaps the
daypack, but unlike Slater et al. this one will not slip
into the pocket.
Unfortunately,
I have concerns about the variable quality of the colour separations
and of the illustrations themselves (see below). Refreshingly,
few if any arbitrary taxonomic decisions have been taken by the
author - names and sequence conforms very closely with the accepted
Australian list by Christidis & Boles (RAOU, 1994), with concessions
to Schodde & Mason's 1999 Directory of Australian Birds
apparently confined to those changes to be adopted by HANZAB (Handbook
of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds, OUP/RAOU).
(Volume 5 to be published later this year).
This
book introduces several innovations to Australian bird field guides.
Most significantly, the identification details are placed on the
same page as the illustrations, as concise text inserts with pointers
to the relevant part of the bird. In many cases these quickly
point to the salient features of the species, but space here is
limited - further detail should go into the main text. Secondly,
the distribution maps are the first to show different levels of
abundance, using three different shades, the darker shades indicating
where the species is more common. Furthermore, the distribution
of each subspecies is shown with a different colour. Finally,
this field guide is the first to cover all oceanic islands and
Torres Strait islands that are Australian territory (but note
that Saibai Island is consistently misspelled). Why have other
field guide authors failed to recognize these islands as part
of Australia?
Morcombe
certainly deserves kudos for these breakthroughs; however, I noticed
one species is completely absent from the treatment of oceanic
islands - Long-tailed Cuckoo Eudynamys taitensis should
be in the Norfolk or Lord Howe sections but isn't in the book
at all. I found the colour-coded page tabs and back cover flap
listing the main bird families to be effective in finding quickly
the pages of particular families; these flaps double as useful
bookmarks. Beginners should find the guide to family groups on
pages 8-9 useful.
The
main drawback to this field guide are the plates. Two main problems
seem evident in my review copy, one fixable the other rather more
intractable. Firstly, the colours, particularly blues, are often
excessively vivid. The bush-hen and crakes, the kookaburras and
almost all of the parrots are particularly affected. Closer attention
to quality control by the publisher should improve this aspect
next time around. Secondly, and more disturbingly, the birds themselves
seem too often to be in awkward, unlifelike postures. In some
of the seabird plates, shearwaters in particular, the pictures
are simply misleading or wrong. The shape of the dark shearwaters
in flight have been poorly differentiated by Morcombe, especially
the angle at which the wings are normally held, and the tail proportions
- these are crucial features used to separate these species at
distance. I would direct people to Terry Lindsey's Seabirds
of Australia, pages 276-278 or Jeff Davies' plate in HANZAB
volume 1 if they want a realistic depiction of Wedge-tailed and
Flesh-footed in flight. In my experience, the pale throat of Short-tailed
is unreliable as a field mark to use versus Sooty. The bills of
some shearwaters at rest, e.g. Wedge-tailed and Little, appear
too bulky.
Other
plates are decidedly unconvincing - the wings of the great Albatrosses
(Wandering and Royal) in flight are too broad at the base, making
them appear too similar to the smaller Albatrosses known as Mollymawks,
which themselves seem too long in the body and proportionately
small-headed. The acknowledgements section apparently lacked a
recognized seabird specialist; perhaps the author should consult
with seabird experts and consider replacing some plates as Simpson
& Day have done in recent editions of their guide. I also
found some of the wader plates short of the required standard
- this is a particularly important group to get right.
The
passerine illustrations are generally much better than the others,
perhaps not surprisingly, since Morcombe would have refined his
technique over the 14 years in which the paintings were done.
Some of the honeyeaters, the babblers and most finches are quite
realistic, and Morcombe gives the best rendition of that disputed
taxon, the Black-eared Miner, that I have seen.
Even
so, some shockers have still made it into print - White-throated
Treecreeper (insufficiently dark-brown), White-breasted Woodswallow
(too black). The rear end of the male Spotted Quail-thrush reminded
me of a stumpy-tailed (shingleback) lizard! And the Clamorous
Reed Warbler doesn't look realistic to me. Many of the passerines
are depicted in flight, more so than in other Australian guides
- however, I question the relevance to identification of these
in many cases; e.g., does anyone seriously expect to see a White-faced
Robin hovering before them with its `comic' expression?
Some
of the illustrations clearly originated from Morcombe's excellent
photographs - Rufous Scrub-bird and Spotted Pardalote for instance,
but sometimes the postures thus depicted give a misleading impression
- the upcurled primaries of the chestnut-shouldered fairy-wrens
in flight is unlikely to be useful in the field, for example.
Subspecies superciliosus of Brown Shrike is illustrated,
but is not the only one to occur as far south as Java according
to LeFranc and Worfolk's monograph, Shrikes of the World
(Pica Press, 1997), and in at least one case, superciliosus
was ruled out in reports from Christmas Island.
Regarding
the breeding section, I am not sufficiently familiar with the
nests and eggs of Australian birds to pass judgment. This section
does however, seem more comprehensive and more useful than other
field guides to those interested in breeding details of Australian
birds, as long as the rather cartoon-like quality of some bird
pictures in this section is ignored. I must qualify that with
a criticism of mine, applicable to most recent Australian field
guides including this one, that too much space is devoted to breeding
and other details which are not directly related to putting a
name to the bird, which is after all, the main purpose of a field
guide. Do we really need a full double-page spread to identify
an Australian Magpie? Such space is more effectively used in explaining
in more detail the differences between difficult species - Sharp-tailed
and Pectoral Sandpipers or the Lewin's Honeyeater group, for example.
Quality overseas guides such as Lars Jonnson's Birds of Europe
(Christopher Helm, 1999), devote much more space to difficult
groups, e.g. six pages on four species of Skuas and Jaegers, compared
to only two pages on five species in Morcombe. In this and other
respects, Morcombe's guide falls short of the publisher's blurb
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