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A bad birdwatcher's companion...or a personal introduction to Britain's 50 most obvious birds

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A bad birdwatcher's companion...or a personal introduction to Britain's 50 most obvious birds (Hardcover)

by Simon Barnes (Author), Peter Partington (Illustrator)

4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)

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5 new from �2.95 10 used from �0.85

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Audio CD (Abridged,Audiobook,Unabridged)	�16.99	�11.04	23 used & new from �6.85
Unknown Binding			Order it used

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Product details

Hardcover: 281 pages
Publisher: Short Books (8 Sep 2005)
Language English
ISBN-10: 1904977375
ISBN-13: 978-1904977377
Product Dimensions: 19.8 x 13 x 3.2 cm

Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)

Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 83,498 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)
Popular in this category:
#44 in Books > Sports, Hobbies & Games > Fishing, Birdwatching & Other Outdoor Pursuits > Birdwatching > Britain

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Product Description

Product Description
Simon Barnes is one of Britain's leading bird writers and humorists. His weekly column in The Times, his essays for the RSPB magazine and his two books on bad bird-watching have made him one of the characters of the bird world. Here he reads his own illuminating introductions to the 50 main birds of Britain, supported by the distinguishing bird song of each species. He not only gives helpful identifying features, but enriches them with whimsical observations on their characters and tendencies. It is a delightful audiobook, superbly presented by the author himself. --This text refers to the Unknown Binding edition.

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	65% buy the item featured on this page: A bad birdwatcher's companion...or a personal introduction to Britain's 50 most obvious birds 4.3 out of 5 stars (6)
	24% buy How to be a Bad Birdwatcher: To the Greater Glory of Life 4.3 out of 5 stars (23) �5.99
	7% buy The Secret Lives of Garden Birds 4.2 out of 5 stars (11) �10.49
	3% buy I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue: Anniversary Special (BBC Radio Collection) 4.4 out of 5 stars (7) �7.63

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Customer Reviews

6 Reviews

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

Average Customer Review

4.3 out of 5 stars (6 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommended, 17 Nov 2005

By	Mr David Tanner - See all my reviews

This book is brilliant. The pen pictures of the 50 (and a few more) birds describing their habits, observation tips etc are accurate and very witty. It is an ideal companion to the first book but also has its own value as a stand alone book for those who haven't read the first one. For those who are confirmed bad birdwatchers its an ideal present for those who don't yet share or appreciate your enthusiasm. The environmental/conservation slant in the book is well judged - not too strident but makes the point well.
I'd recommend it to anybody.

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29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT, 11 Jan 2006

By	R. A. Watson "richbabe" (UK) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

After Christmas a year ago, I struggled to find something worthy of the book
token I'd been given, till I chanced on "How to be a bad birdwatcher". It
caught my attention immediately for the way the author approaches the
subject. For someone like myself who has a passing interest in a lot of
subjects, it appeals to my mentality marvellously.

In a similar situation again this year I spotted a familiar style of
cover - "The bad birdwatcher's companion", of course. I was initially
discouraged by a book describing such everyday birds as the Robin and
Sparrow, until I read a few extracts. That was it - I just had to buy a
copy. All other books have been set aside until I've read this, start to
finish.

Congratulations to the author on a splendid couple of works. They
do to me just what I guess was intended - get me excited about the topic. If
only the traditionally stuffy style of a lot of British publications were
written instead, in this easy manner, they'd be a lot more digestible.

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58 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great aid to 'bad' birdwatching, 16 Oct 2005

By	Badbirder (Staines, UK) - See all my reviews

This is destined to become a classic. Barnes introduces the fifty most 'obvious' birds in the UK. Each brief chapter gives a knowledgeable overview of a bird; not only where they're found and what they look and sound like but how to actually spot them. His tips and insights on technique and approaches to see them are about an attitude of mind; ways of getting your 'eye in'.... and it really does work. In the walks I've taken in the few days that I've had the book I've spotted loads more stuff. It almost has a talismanic quality. I read the chapter on the Sparrow Hawk and thought - well that's one I'll need luck and time for. The very next day I was out in the garden and saw one high up (I would have seen it anyway but now I recognised it) and I was ready to watch the following attack on the pigeons! So its a practical guide that works.

Better than that is the fact that it's a hugely enjoyable read, written in the romp along style that has made Barnes a star sports writer. His passion and enthusiasm really shine through. I'm sure that even 'good' birdwatchers', those who make lists and stuff, will enjoy reading it and no doubt learn a thing or two.

So if you're even remotely interested in birds and want to know a bit more this comes highly recommended. If you're like me you can expect some pleasant surprises as a consequence of picking it up. And I haven't even got 'How to be a bad birdwatcher' yet...

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Garden ornithology made easy
This audio CD got an excellent review in The Times ( Barnes's 'paper'), and for good reason.

As stated in the introduction, Field Guides can be intimidating, whereas... Read more

Published on 29 April 2007 by Chris Pearson

5.0 out of 5 stars You can always learn a little bit more!
I have many bird books from Birds of the Western Palearctic to the Collins Guide - plus 2 shelves of books on individual species. Read more

Published on 25 April 2006 by Kimco

1.0 out of 5 stars Lame book on birds
This book was a disappointment to me. The facts on the birds themselves are few; a child's book on birds will give you more useful information. Read more

Published on 29 Dec 2005 by Robert Greaves

› See all 6 customer reviews...

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