On the Wing #25: Some Light Reading Pt. 2
Welcome to part two of the birding reading list. Here are my next four submissions.
Oology: Ralph's Talking Eggs by Carrol L. Henderson (2007)
I picked this book up somewhere (I don't remember where) and was fascinated by the study and formerly rife practice of oology (the study of bird eggs and to a lesser extent, their nesting habits) which was pursued during the days of "shotgun ornithology" and market hunting, when the idea that such huge numbers of shorebirds, ducks, and pigeons ever running out was thought to be flights of fancy. I'm looking forward to it because it explains the tale of one such oologist named Ralph Handsaker who lived in the Midwest and started a collection of eggs that many other bird experts used to recognize all sorts of birds all over North America. It looks like an interesting read based on a formerly prominent hobby of many nature observers and amateur scientists and how it has had an impact on bird conservation and study in modern times.
Bird-World by J. H. Stickney and Ralph Hoffman (1898)
I found this interesting bird book in Bearly Read Books, our local independent book store and had to have it, primarily so I could have bragging rights to a book that's over a century old. The other reason of wanting it was because I enjoy reading older accounts of birds and their habits. This perfectly explains my love of Chapman, Griscom, and Forbush for example. After a quick read of some of the stories, I'm elated to read the rest. Of particular interest to me was the section that detailed birds of economic importance and detriment. Some of the very birds we consider to be important ecological pieces were still considered to be vermin at the time. This was especially true of hawks and owls. Overall this read should be an eloquent view of the past from people who were genuinely interested in birds but were trying to explain it in simpler terms for an eager audience.
Dean of the Birdwatchers: A Biography of Ludlow Griscom by William E. Davis, Jr. (1994)
I received this book from Marj Rines of Bird Observer and am pleased to have been given such a wonderful account of an under appreciated birder and ornithologist. To say that this man is a hero to me is an understatement. I admire Griscom not simply because he was the foremost birder and ornithologist of his time, but primarily because he lived and birded in Eastern Massachusetts where I live. His work on identifying birds by sight and by use of field marks were one of the highlights of modern field birding and was what inspired a young Roger Tory Peterson to create his groundbreaking field guide. Learning about the man that was molded in the changing world of ornithology and how some of his own actions helped to mold the future actions of the science and art of bird study, make this read a top priority for me. I'll definitely review it when I'm through with it.
Of A Feather: A Brief History of American Birding by Scott Weidensaul (2007)
I found this book at the Birdwatchers General Store in Orleans, MA after wanting to visit the legendary store for over a decade. I'd initially heard about it in Bird Observer and always wanted check out what was on offer. After browsing the book section for ages and ages (but not before the Big Year, the movie based on the book of the same name, distracted me from my book browsing), I came across this volume. Having an interest and keen eye for the historical aspect of nature observation and descriptions of bird species, I picked it up. The description on the back describes the colorful history that many nonbirders would be surprised to learn about the hobby which ranged from activism, feuds, and even strong rivalries. This book is definitely more for the birder than the casual observer as it deals with subjects familiar to most of us that bird regularly. Most nonbirders probably see us birder as beings obsessed with birds with too much time on their hands or perhaps sas hapless nerds with some mad obsession with trying to figure out what that small, yellow bird in the tippy top of the tree, a little bit to the right, actually is. I'm always interested in seeing how certain views of popular activities change over time. I've read several books on waterfowling that show the evolution of stick ups and crudely made decoys eventually becoming the folk carvings and working birds of the market hunting days to the plastic birds that are hunted over now. It will be interesting to see what changes have been made in this field that I love so much and when I finish, I'll be happy to report them to you.
Have a great week and as always, happy birding ^_^
Oology: Ralph's Talking Eggs by Carrol L. Henderson (2007)I picked this book up somewhere (I don't remember where) and was fascinated by the study and formerly rife practice of oology (the study of bird eggs and to a lesser extent, their nesting habits) which was pursued during the days of "shotgun ornithology" and market hunting, when the idea that such huge numbers of shorebirds, ducks, and pigeons ever running out was thought to be flights of fancy. I'm looking forward to it because it explains the tale of one such oologist named Ralph Handsaker who lived in the Midwest and started a collection of eggs that many other bird experts used to recognize all sorts of birds all over North America. It looks like an interesting read based on a formerly prominent hobby of many nature observers and amateur scientists and how it has had an impact on bird conservation and study in modern times.
I found this interesting bird book in Bearly Read Books, our local independent book store and had to have it, primarily so I could have bragging rights to a book that's over a century old. The other reason of wanting it was because I enjoy reading older accounts of birds and their habits. This perfectly explains my love of Chapman, Griscom, and Forbush for example. After a quick read of some of the stories, I'm elated to read the rest. Of particular interest to me was the section that detailed birds of economic importance and detriment. Some of the very birds we consider to be important ecological pieces were still considered to be vermin at the time. This was especially true of hawks and owls. Overall this read should be an eloquent view of the past from people who were genuinely interested in birds but were trying to explain it in simpler terms for an eager audience.
I received this book from Marj Rines of Bird Observer and am pleased to have been given such a wonderful account of an under appreciated birder and ornithologist. To say that this man is a hero to me is an understatement. I admire Griscom not simply because he was the foremost birder and ornithologist of his time, but primarily because he lived and birded in Eastern Massachusetts where I live. His work on identifying birds by sight and by use of field marks were one of the highlights of modern field birding and was what inspired a young Roger Tory Peterson to create his groundbreaking field guide. Learning about the man that was molded in the changing world of ornithology and how some of his own actions helped to mold the future actions of the science and art of bird study, make this read a top priority for me. I'll definitely review it when I'm through with it.
I found this book at the Birdwatchers General Store in Orleans, MA after wanting to visit the legendary store for over a decade. I'd initially heard about it in Bird Observer and always wanted check out what was on offer. After browsing the book section for ages and ages (but not before the Big Year, the movie based on the book of the same name, distracted me from my book browsing), I came across this volume. Having an interest and keen eye for the historical aspect of nature observation and descriptions of bird species, I picked it up. The description on the back describes the colorful history that many nonbirders would be surprised to learn about the hobby which ranged from activism, feuds, and even strong rivalries. This book is definitely more for the birder than the casual observer as it deals with subjects familiar to most of us that bird regularly. Most nonbirders probably see us birder as beings obsessed with birds with too much time on their hands or perhaps sas hapless nerds with some mad obsession with trying to figure out what that small, yellow bird in the tippy top of the tree, a little bit to the right, actually is. I'm always interested in seeing how certain views of popular activities change over time. I've read several books on waterfowling that show the evolution of stick ups and crudely made decoys eventually becoming the folk carvings and working birds of the market hunting days to the plastic birds that are hunted over now. It will be interesting to see what changes have been made in this field that I love so much and when I finish, I'll be happy to report them to you.
Have a great week and as always, happy birding ^_^
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