Welcome to Rare Bird Books
Rare Bird Books is the website of author Russell Slack whose book is now released:
"Rare Birds, Where and When: An analysis of status and distribution in Britain and Ireland. Volume 1: sandgrouse to New World orioles"
by Russell Slack with historical perspectives by Ian Wallace
ISBN 978-0-9562823-0-9
************* LIMITED OFFER - available POST FREE to addresses in UK & Europe *************
Birdwatch magazine - Best Bird Book of 2009.
The BB/BTO Best Bird Book of the Year 2009 – 6th Place.
Sunday Express - Best Reference Bird Book 2009.
This work is an essential reference for anyone seeking a book about the status, distribution and vagrancy patterns of rare species within the UK and Ireland, together with a comprehensive overview of Western Palearctic records. It pulls together the records for all species presently treated as 'rarities' by the British Birds Rarities Committee (BBRC) and the Irish Rare Birds Committee (IRBC).
Find out more about the content of the book
Great Offer
|
The book will receive a limited initial print run. The pre-publication offer may now closed but act quickly to secure a copy at the great price of just £25. A must for anyone with an interest in birding books, click on Rare Birds, Where and When right now to order this comprehensive reference of rare birds.
For each species there is an overview of:
And a discussion of trends, patterns and why species arrive (or not) and numerous finders accounts.
|
 |
What are others saying about the book?
Paul Harvey, BB, December 2009 (www.britishbirds.co.uk)
"Russell Slack is to be congratulated. This work is thoroughly researched, well written and packed with fascinating and relevant information. It goes much further than any of its predecessors. The inclusion of Irish records makes biogeographical sense, while the incorporation of European and, where relevant, Western Palearctic records enables a much wider perspective... the book is worth it alone for bringing these records of vagrants from across Europe together in a single source."
"This book will undoubtedly become the standard work for those interested in rare birds in Britain & Ireland. Whether you are simply a patch worker who enjoys coming across migrants, a passionate lister, someone fascinated by the phenomenon of vagrancy itself or one of an increasing band of observers for whom their ‘self-found’ list has become a key driving force, this book is a must for you. Forget the lack of photographs, the content more than makes up for that and at £29.99 this book represents excellent value for money. I look forward to Volume 2."
Read the full review by clicking here
Martin Garner Birding World, October 2009 (www.birdingworld.co.uk):
“Here, I discovered the shear breadth of the work undertaken. While comparisons may be made with previous works on rare bird records in Britain and Ireland, none of these has tackled the analysis of statistics, the trends and patterns anything like as comprehensively. This book thereby becomes an important tool for focussing the mind of the rarity hunter and twitcher alike.”
“One would have to read much source material to glean the information so helpfully distilled in this book. It represents the most detailed analysis of rare bird records yet undertaken. This book and its companion Volume 2 (on the non-passerines, due in 2010) are set to take pole position as the reference on rare bird vagrancy patterns in Britain and Ireland (with direct application to elsewhere in Western Europe) for quite some time.”
Read the full review by clicking here
Keith Betton, Birdwatching, November 2009:
“Where this book scores above those that have appeared previously in that it makes a real effort to assess why each species turns up, and why two very similar species show completely different patterns. The level of analysis is extensive…”
“..if you want an authoritative text that evaluates the trends behind the detail, then this book goes well beyond the ground covered by its predecessors.”
“So, does anything set it apart from the rest? For me the answer is ‘yes’”
Birdwatch, October 2009:
“Russell Slack has raised and modernised the game…………”
“One of the many areas in which this book improves on previous similar works is in setting the British and Irish records firmly in a Western Palearctic context, so more accurate global patterns of occurrence and arrival can be inferred. Though rarity records are by definition too few in number, too biased and too patchy for any real statistical rigour, helpful histograms show annual numbers and seasonal timing, including length of stay of most vagrants, and Slack’s interpretations are logical and insightful.”
“Despite the torrent of facts and figures, the book is a surprisingly good read in places, but its real purpose will be as the reference of choice every time a new rarity turns up. Expect monthly use for years to come.”
Anthony McGeehan, author and top birder, commented:
“RARE BIRDS Where and When is a major brick in the wall. It is a new building block, rock solid and, at nearly 500 pages in hardback, almost the size of a brick. From all perspectives - greenhorn to guru - it supplies answers fit to quash personal failings of the type: Everything You Wanted To Know About Rarities But Were Afraid To Ask. Thorny subjects are deftly dealt with and nothing seems to have escaped illumination. Blyth's Pipit, Lanceolated Warbler, and 'Isabelline' Shrikes are just a few of the headaches whose occurrence symptoms have been treated holistically. Reading the five-and-a-half pages of exposition on Parrot Crossbill is proof of thorough research, a hallmark from cover to cover. Full marks to Russell for tracking down discovery accounts from many finders, whose magical moments sparkle throughout the text. My only gripe is the increasing worry about Ryanair's weight restrictions - passport, binoculars and now this!”
Moss Taylor’s review on BirdGuides, says:
“As an avid collector of bird books, the attractive dust wrapper of Rare Birds, Where and When by Russell Slack immediately caught my eye, and on delving into it I was not disappointed. It really is a veritable mine of information.
“I believe that a modern bird book needs to present hard facts in an easily accessible form, at the same time as creating an enjoyable and informative read. This book admirably achieves all these objectives.”
“After the standard introductory sections, DIMW pens a typically 'Wallacian' foreword, quite rightly concluding that the author has produced the most comprehensive, updated summary on rare passerines and near passerines since Naylor's Reference Manuals of Rare Birds in Great Britain and Ireland published in the mid- to late 1990s. He also points out that, innovatively, it takes into account modern taxonomy and sets the British and Irish records against the European status and the species' home ranges.”
“As an author and self-publisher myself, I really admire Russell Slack for the very professional end product, which I have no doubt will remain the standard work of reference on rare birds for many years to come.”
Roger Riddington, Editor of British Birds, says:
"This book will become a definitive reference work for anyone interested in rare birds in Britain & Ireland. The inclusion of not just British & Irish but all European rarity records is particularly valuable when it comes to linking individual records, establishing the context of notable arrivals and examining trends - something which is increasingly important in the light of climate and other environmental change. As well as this, by splicing the analyses with narrative extracts, Russell Slack has provided a damn good read. The compiler is seriously well-qualified to write this book, and it shows."
Pictures:Graham Catley
What About Volume 2?
Due to the size of the book it was not possible to analyse all species in one volume. Volume 1 deals with Sandgrouse to New World orioles. Volume 2 is expected in 2012 (price to be confirmed). Click here for more details of what will be in Volume 2.