Birds Books

A well written book on the subject of shotgunning. I would recomend it to anyone.

This is an awesome book for inexperienced shooters that want to learn a few things about shotgunning. It is probably the most useful out of a handful of shotgun books I have bought.

Blakeley's book covers a lot of shooting theory and information along with great stories that were entertaining and helped to demonstrate to me much of the theory he describes. He also punches holes through some common myths that every shooter (hunter and sporting) could do very well without. All in all, a very good reference book.

In this excellent book Peter Blakeley presents a wealth of interesting information on shotgun shooting theory and practice. The book is geared to those who want to hit targets more consistently, and understand the how and why of it. The book has good tips on targets in sporting clays and skeet. In addition, there is much on bird hunting.

Lynn Cuny has a gift for portraying the animals in her stories both as worthy of our care as well as needing respect for their needs as animals. Unlike some writers of animal stories, she always makes it clear that wild creatures are usually better off being left wild. While her stories often contain humor, they are always touching.

This book was given to me as a gift and I couldn't put it down. This heartwarming book takes you into the emotions and thoughts of wild animals. They come alive and you see them as the caring, loving and intelligent beings they are. This book will make you never able to look at a wild animal as a "dumb" animal or expendable resource again.

This charming vignette of stories will leave you with a new and wonderful perspective of wildlife, as well as a great deal of respect for the people at Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation in Boerne, TX. This book is a must read for anyone with a love for the wildlife of these United States.

Through Animals' Eyes: True Stories From A Wildlife Sanctuary is an anthology about the creatures cared for by Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation (WRR). Founded by the author in 1977, WRR provides sanctuary for orphaned, injured, or displaced wildlife, rehabilitating them for eventual release - or providing them with permanent care in large natural habitats if they are deemed nonreleasable. WWR also gives permanent care to exotic wild animals that have suffered from the pet trade, roadside zoos, or research facilities. From the raccoon with burned feet who perseveres to survive, to an abandoned emu who makes friends with a one-winged vulture in a game of pick-up sticks, these tales put one in the skin, fur, or feathers of the creatures who have paid the price of man's expansion. Through Animals' Eyes is strongly recommended for all animal lovers.

This story line is familiar if you've read The Rainbow Fish, but Tico pre-dates that story. Tico is also a more profound, developed story. Happy, re-assuring ending. Sensitive and precient in this age of me me me.

Library bound edition very high quality. Wonderful to have a new copy of a very memorable story from my childhood to share with my children, nieces, nephews and grandchildren.

I've been reading books to children for almost two decades, and Leo Lionni's books have always been among my favorites. They're simple in the same way that the parables of Jesus are simple - the meaning of the stories is immediately clear, yet they are deep and wise, and the stories stay with you forever.

Tico and the Golden Wings is not one of Lionni's best known books (Swimmy and Frederick probably fill that category - and both of them are terrific), but it's one of my favorites. It's about a bird born without wings, who cannot fly like his friends. The friends are kind to him, but he feels left out because he cannot do the things they do. Wishing for wings, he gets his wish, but the wings are made of gold. As Tico flies around the world, he encounters people with great needs and tries to help them by giving each of them one of the gold feathers from his wings. His reward for this generosity is to grow a real feather for every golden one he gives away.

In the end, Tico returns to his friends, who are thrilled to see him with wings just like theirs. They think he is now just like them, but Tico nurtures an understanding that his thoughts and experiences are not like those of his friends, that inside he is still different.

The message is simple: you can care about others and still nurture your own indivuality. What is special about this book, though, is not just the lovely and wise message, but the fact that it remains lovely, and not the least bit cloying or preachy, after hundreds of readings. You can read this book to any three or four year old who has enough experience with books to sit still for a quiet story, and continue reading it to him or her for years, knowing the child will get more out of it each time he or she hears it.

A lovely story. Thoughtful. Sometimes having what we wish for is not nearly as important as giving. Our value comes from within. A story I look forward to sharing with my nephews and grandchildren.

For Texas birders this book is a must. Ranges are much more reliable than any other guide available. Is great for travelling to an area to see what you might be able to see or to back something you have found.

The new TOS Handbook is an indispensable reference to the current status of Texas' avifauna. The range maps are excellent and show seasonal changes in gray scale. Anyone interested in birding in Texas will want a copy of this book. It is not a field guide, but a reference on status and distribution.

Whatever your general guide for the identification of birds is while in Texas you need this this companion book. Current information as to the status of Texas birdlife written by two premier Texas birders. A percentage of the profits are given to the Texas Ornithological Society.

Jack Clinton Eitniear
Editor/Bulletin of the Texas Ornithological Society
www.Texasbirds.org

If you want to know the current status of any bird in Texas you need this book! Good range maps make it possible look at individual counties.

The simple, rhythmic text is the heartbeat of this book, and the joyful illustrations give it breath. The rhyming story spans the seasons as the Willow Ptarmigan's feathers change from winter white, to dapple brown, and back again. But the illustrations really tell the story of a child's observations and reflections of the seasons, the bird, and camoflage. What a delightful book!

I loved Jim's story line. All four of my children admired the beautiful pictures and loved the way he incorporated rhyme into his information about the Ptarmigan. I purchased several books for Christmas presents. I hope Jim writes more books for us to enjoy!

I thought that the story Turnagain Ptarmigan! was a great way to introduce young children to Alaska's state bird. James Guenther has obviously done extensive research on the Willow Ptarmigan so that he could portray in a fun way for children to read and learn about Alaska's state bird. I enjoyed how for each season the author showed a different stage of the ptarmigan ... what they are like each season. I recommend this book to all grade school children.

This book explores the Alaska state bird and why it changes color depending on the season. The concept of nature and camouflage is beautifully presented. The prose is excellent. The illustrations are a delight and show not only the Ptarmigan, but children sometimes camouflaged in the picture as well. A wonderful new book for children!!

This book is the best! My teacher from london who flew heunbelivible,imangtive but i forgot the other one!re to usa! in K-mart she found there books of him
we read a the stories like Ice Maiden, Birdman, Little SQUIRT,Magic Hermonica, The Vevlet Throne, eXPOSER,and one that we are reading now,Sloppy Jollpy it has a lot of britsh acent because paul jennings is an australing aouthor mates!

"Unbelievable" (first published in 1987) was Australian author Paul Jennings' second collection of short stories for kids, published while he was still working as a teacher. They're quirky, inventive, funny, occasionally gross and fun for all ages really. They really evoke Australia too, particularly the state of Victoria and the city of Melbourne, which I've always liked about Paul's books.

There are nine stories here:

"Pink Bow Tie" is something of a story within a story, involving a machine that can make the user younger or older. I quite like it, and it must be a popular one, because it was not only adapted into an episode of "Round the Twist" but also made into a very special Paul Jennings comic as well.

"One Shot Toothpaste" was a story I always found really creepy when I was a kid. Dentists, experiments with teeth. It's not surprising, really. Great little tale, and another story within a story.

"There's No Such Thing" is an interesting piece about a dragon who lives in the drain.

"Inside Out" has a punk ghost, a horror film lover, a "spook exam" and even a magic trick or two. The ending comes on rather suddenly, but it's a decent story.

"The Busker" is a pretty intense story for a children's book, I've always thought. It's a reflection on money, greed and friendship, and it's pretty sad too. I know it's made one or two people cry reading it. Yet another story within a story, part of which is set on Australia's shipwreck coast.

"Souperman" sees a comic book fan meet his hero living a few apartments away. He's not quite how he is in the comics though. Seems this real life superhero needs soup for souper powers. Silly, but I like it.

"The Gumleaf War" is a very Australian short story. It's got slang, it's got an Australian folk song, it's got the bush and it's got old men playing gum leaves. It's also pretty funny. What more could you want?

"Birdscrap" features a ghostly seagull and a load of guano. That's all that needs to be said there!

"Snookle" is short and strange, all about an invisble ghost that grants your every desire, even the tiniest of whims must be granted. Is that something you'd really want?

It's all great fun, easy to read for young and old. A great introduction to Paul Jennings for the newcomer and a great addition to your collection for a fan. Highly recommended.

I recommend this book to those who like to laugh. I definitely think that it's UNBELIEVABLE. It was just the funniest and most entertaining book I've ever seen before. Be ready!!!

though is a old book but the content is very interesting that is still practical that the things inside may still happened the stories always have a twist at the ending. my friend recommend this book to me and i will surely recommend to somebody else

Like most everyone, I have been slightly familiar with Audubon's Birds of America-but I had no insight into the man or the world that produced his famous series of meticulous paintings. From the first page, William Souder's excellent book drew me into its engrossing narrative, making the carefully researched details come alive. Because of the detail and the direct writing style, the world Souder portrays seems close and immediate-almost like today-but in many ways it was light-years from today's modern world.

In detailing Audubon the man, Souder shows us a fascinating, infuriating character, obsessive in his hunting, exploring and collecting efforts, relentless in his painting, while often oblivious to his domestic responsibilities and economic situation. Reconstructing an immense amount of research materials, Souder describes Audubon's acclaim and success in Scotland and England, leading to the historic publication of the monumental Birds of America. While cutting a flamboyant, confident figure in Europe, we also see Audubon's private torments. His incompetent letters to his wife- addressing her as "dearest friend"- provokes an extended almost tragic transatlantic misunderstanding. Reading these passages should make us forever grateful for telephones!

Under a Wild Sky is full of wonderful rich description, and for this we can thank Audubon and others for having kept detailed journals and letters. But I was most impressed with Souder's ability to write in a familiar, personal style that weaves it all into a highly readable, intelligent and entertaining narrative that-as I said before-really makes the subject come alive. Highly recommended.

I am pleased to give my unprejudiced review of Under A Wild Sky by William Souder, my son.
The author paints a picture, in words, of a 19th century complicated man, dedicated to giving his and future generations beautiful and accurate portraits of Birds Of America. This is a great book for all interested in learning about the life of the man and his work.

William Souder doesn't just describe Audubon's personality. Souder appears to be Aubudon's best friend who has been watching Audubon for years. Now, Souder is telling the reader how his best friend works and what drove his friend to make "Birds of America."

It's been over a century since naturalist John James Audubon's death, but his fame is no less for it, and author William Souder's biography Under A Wild Sky: John James Audubon And The Making Of The Birds Of America provides both a well-researched biography and an inviting leisure read recreating Audubon's time and passion. Chapters tell of the lush abundance of species Audubon was called upon to catalog, and tells of his struggle to gain recognition for his work. A 'must' for any Audubon fan.

The past year has been the hardest year of Grace Hall's life. The year began with promise as she married a Count just like her beloved father wanted her to wed, but went down hill since. Her father suddenly passed away and she is divorcing her spouse. She is also being challenged as the CEO of her father's legacy, the Hall Foundation by the board and her dad's right hand man who felt he earned the head position.

To make her year more miserable, someone is killing six women who made a magazine's notable list. Two are dead and Grace is on the murder roll. Desperate, she reluctantly hires John Smith, head of Black Watch, Ltd. as her bodyguard. He is an expert at hiding his feelings, but Grace seems to get inside his skin as occurred when they first met and kissed before the initial homicide. As they fall in love, he rejects the notion of forever because she is glitter and he is mud, yet he will willingly die to keep his beloved safe from a serial killer who has easy access to victims living behind secure walls.

UNFORGETTABLE LADY, the sequel to HEART OF GOLD (which introduced Grace), is an exhilarating romantic suspense novel that sub-genre fans will enjoy. Though the villain seems odd, fans will enjoy the action, not just the serial killer subplot as the tension between the delightful lead duo grips the audience as well. Fans will demand more stories from those alpha Black Watch hunks and hopefully a hunkette too.

Harriet Klausner

This book was awesome. I read her other genre, in which she writes as J.R. Ward (she has in print Dark Lover, and Lover Eternal, so far) Found out she writes as Jessica Bird in contemporary, and I was SOOOOOOOO glad to find this out! This story is so moving, I fell in love with the story by the end of the 1st chapter.

He doesn't want to love her, she's rich, glamorous, and out of his league. Little does he know that she fits into his league and into his life just fine. Very realistic story.

I don't feel you'll be disappointed at all!!!!!!! A+++++! Way to go Jessica!

I am such a ROMANCE NOVEL type-reader, and AN Unforgettable Lady by Jessica Bird was right up my alley. I love getting lost in a GREAT STORY and this book is exactly that! I have become a fan!

John Smith is a personal security specialist. His background includes special military, assassin, and intelligence. Now, he is a ghost. He has not used his real name in so long that no one alive can recall it. He has no address, no social security number, and his earnings are scattered in various numbered accounts throughout the globe. He is the best in his field. He got a few of the men he knew from his time in the military and began the firm called Black Watch, Ltd. John has never failed a client ... which is how he met HER!

Grace Woodward Hall, soon to be the former Countess von Sharone, is in the direct line of fire of a serial killer. The Times ran an article stating the names of the six most prominent women in New York. The article had been found beside the body of the first socialite.

John Smith agrees to be her personal bodyguard. Grace deals with John giving many of her hired personnel (such as a daily maid, a driver, contractors, etc) long vacations and putting his own men in place. She even deals with him moving into her penthouse, even though there is only one usable bathroom (since the contractors were not finished with the guest bath). But she was having a very hard time keeping her attraction to John stamped down. Then there is the stress of her work. Since her father died she has taken over as head of the Hall Foundation. Her father had groomed her for the position since childhood. However, there are a few old timers on the board who believe she should stop down and give the President and CEO position to Lou Lamont. Add to all this, stress of her pending divorce, her mother's harping, and more of her friends dying! And since Grace has never backed down from anyone or anything, she refused to cringe at ANY of this, including John's overbearing attitude!

John cannot help but love the feistiness Grace keeps sheathed in social politeness. For the first time ever he finds himself becoming emotionally attached to a client. That could be fatal. Yet he is unable to leave her safety in the hands of anyone else. After all, he IS the best!

***** Author Jessica Bird has a life long fan in me! This is the perfect blend of romance and suspense! From the beginning to the end I found myself eager to see what surprise would turn up next. If you are a fan of Sandra Brown, Stella Cameron, and Jayne Ann Krentz, then you MUST check out this author! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

When you read as much as I do, you relish finding authors new to you who have the knack of creating characters that are not characatures and putting them in situations that are far from ordinary. I discovered Sarah Bird thanks to amazon surfing, and marvel that I've never heard of her before. As opposed to the cookie cutter plots so prevalent in chicklit offerings so "hot" today, her approach is truly original. She deserves a much greater readership. I love passing her books around and introducing her to others.

While I can't say this was a wonderful book, it certainly was a lot of fun. I truly enjoy reading Sarah Bird... her characters are so real, yet so unique.

My favorite book of hers, the Boyfriend School was so great, I looked everywhere to find more by her. And it was only when I found her on Amazon that my thirst was sort of quenched.

If you like reading fun stories, that stand apart from the usual stuff, her books are it.

This humorous and touching tale captivated my attention and had me searching through the dictionary. The heroine's vocabulary is impressive to say the least. I enjoyed the search for her father even though I had a good idea of who it would be. This book is as good as the author's others and I only want to know one thing...When will we be lucky enough to read a new novel by Sarah Bird?

Sonja K. Getz, a young woman in search of her father, dismantles the shrine to him on her closet floor, packs all her important belongings in one suitcase, and leaves her mother and new step-father. Forcing her big-shouldered way into the company of Prairie James -- a man well on his way to being a has-been trick roper and whom she half-suspects as being her father -- Sonja starts her journey as a quest for an unknown man only to have it become a discovery of the unknown woman she has been suppressing. All of her formidable education can not prepare her for what she is about to learn on the small town rodeo circuit. A great cast of characters abound -- misfits, superficially, but each the star of a little morality play.

This is one of the better cd sets available on birds of Central and South America. There are two cds, covering 220 birds- available as of this writing from Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithollgy for $29.95.

CD 1 covers tinamous, raptors, doves, parrots, owls, hummingbirds, trogons, motmots, barbets, woodpeckers, foliage-gleaners, and antbirds.

CD 2 covers antbirds, becards, manakins, wrens, thrushes, warblers, caciques, oropendolas, euphonias, tanagers, grosbeaks and sparrows.

Since there is much variety, songs and calls do not become monotonous as in other Cornell releases featuring only antbirds, or only parrots. The wren family comes across as having the most consistently beautiful voices in this collection.

Here are the (for me) outstanding voices of the set:

Black-breasted Wood-Quail, Gray-breasted Crake, Red-lored Parrot, Common Potoo, Rufous Motmot, Gray-throated Leaftosser, Black-chested Jay, Plain Wren, Stripe-breasted Wren, Bay Wren, Black-throated Wren, Gray-breasted Wood-Wren, Song Wren, Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush, Chestnut-headed Oropendola - and the piece de resistance, the Montezuma Oropendola.

If you are planning a trip to Costa Rica, the set is indispensible. For sheer pleasure though, it is a delight to listen in wonder at the variety of voices in this tropical setting. Recommended for ornithologists, travelers and bird lovers in general.

I've been to Costa Rica on several trips. If you are a nature person, or birder that is interested in nature sounds, and knowing what they are, then this tape is indispensible. There is more information available on this title from tinkfrog.com, or any websearch of the title. These CDs cover several vocalization types for many of the over 220 species, call, songs, drumming of woodpeckers. With this and the voice descriptions in the field guide, you've a chance at recognizing, and finding more birds.

For a location that gets a lot of birders there is very little in the way of recordings available for Costa Rica. Don't let the title fool you, a great number of the birds presented on this set are also on the Pacific Slope. The quality of the recordings is very good, and over two-hundred species are resented. I found it very helpful in learning the calls of the birds of Costa Rica

Want to train yourself to recognize the 25% of the Costa Rican birds species by its voices? Then, you have to listen both CD's. I heard them few months ago when my fauna teacher put emphasis in the bird identification (I'm a forestry student --Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica). Sometimes, when you are in a dense forest or thicket you can only hear the birds, so, you need a non-visual way to identify them....and here it is. I bought the "Indicator Birds of the Costa Rican Cloud Forest" (from the same Laboratory of Ornithilogy) and I hear it in my house to train my ears in the identification of non common birds.

Buy it, I'm gonna buy it too.