Bookreview
A selection of this month’s latest releases
THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANIES STUART MEDLAND BRAMBLEBY BOOKS, £28
You might think it’s difficult to say anything new about the birdwatching paradise that is the Norfolk coast, but Stuart Medland has found a way to approach the subject from a fresh and intriguing angle. In this handsome, wide-format volume, he combines some lovely images of the characteristic birds of the area – predominantly waders and wildfowl – with his own poetry, some of it inspired directly by the images, and some more generally connected with many years of watching the area and its wildlife. Other wildlife is included, too, incidentally – hares and butterflies – helping to paint a complete picture of the landscape. The organising concept here is that the flocks of waders and wildfowl are compared to medieval guilds or ‘worshipful companies’, with their own colourful and distinctive liveries. That does feel slightly tenuous at times, but it really doesn’t matter. Instead, you can enjoy the many nuggets of fascinating information that Medland includes in the prose sections, as well as the evocative poetry and images. He has a light touch with the former, and isn’t afraid to return to the same subject again and again (I particularly liked the godwit poems), each time giving a different slant to his appreciation of the bird. The results will make you want to get out there on the Norfolk coast yourself, for a fresh look at familiar birds.
BIRDS OF JAPAN & NORTH-EAST ASIA TADAO SHIMBA HELM, £35
It’s hard to fault this comprehensive photographic guide to the birds of north-east Asia, other than to say it is quite hefty. But then, if it wasn’t, it wouldn’t be comprehensive. I’d probably use it alongside a field guide, but the species accounts are concise and useful, and several species get in-depth treatment (in-flight shots of Honey Buzzards, for example). Of course, it stands or falls by the quality of the photos, and they’re uniformly excellent.
BIRDS OF SPAIN JAMES LOWEN & CARLOS BOCOS HELM, £9.99
Another photo guide, but this time one you could easily slip in an inside pocket, or even keep poolside for some casual birding while on a Spanish beach holiday! It packs an awful lot into a small space, with remarkably detailed (and very good) species accounts alongside clear, crisp photography that always succeeds in getting over the most vital ID information. A really useful book to have around when you don’t want to lug a full field guide along with you, and a pleasure to browse as well.