Field Guide to the Bird Songs and Calls of Britain and Northern Europe (Book & CD) [Hardcover]

Compared to its most obvious competitor, Geoff Sample's Collins Field Guide, this guide has recordings of more species (200 v 153ish), almost twice the number of pages in the book, illustrations, and yet is cheaper. The recordings are isolated, not synthesised into a soundscape as the Collins Guide and are not announced. On the whole I think this is the better method, though both have their merits. The auther has included painstaking attempts at transcriptions of the songs & calls. I find them difficult to read, but they do seem to be a pretty good attempt at actually getting the vocalisations down on paper.
Why not 5 stars? Well, though this is a very good guide, it is certainly not "the only field guide you will ever need" as it claims to be. The species accounts in the book are actually surprisingly good, but only species which appear on the cds are described, so for example, Tengmalm's Owl is included but Short-eared Owl is not. This compares to the Collins Guide where (British) species which are not present on the cds still get an account in the book (though this is limited to a description of their songs/calls). There are a few species which are pretty irrelevant from a purely British point of view (Grey Headed Woodpecker is another), but this isn't just a British guide, and almost everything you are likely to hear in the British countryside is present.
Some of the songs/calls sound a little 'different' to my ears, and I wonder if they are recordings of European rather than British birds. Dave Farrow is certainly active all over the world, and the other contributors all have rather 'continental' names.
On the whole though, an extremely good guide and good value for money. I have no hesitation recommending it.

With space made available by the publisher for just 200 species it must have been hard to decide which birds to omit, particularly when you have to cover northern Europe in addition to Britain. Those selected for this guide are generally those with distinctive songs and calls, but the restriction of numbers has resulted in some surprising omissions. I am sure we can all cope with the lack of Canada Goose recordings - but where is Barnacle Goose, and more importantly White-fronted Goose? Although its breeding is restricted to Iceland, Great Northern Diver is included, and yet Red-throated and Black-throated Divers are excluded. The decision to leave out Fulmar is odd when birds like Kittiwake are included. And where is Goshawk? Coverage of passerines is, however, much more comprehensive and includes Parrot and Scottish Crossbill.

The recordings have been acoustically cleaned up to maximise their effectiveness in aiding identification. A total of 100 species is included on each disc. Mostly they are in stereo, although not to the extent that you would particularly notice. Dave Farrow contributed just over a third of the tracks, while Jan-Erik Bruun and Hannu Jannes provided most of the remainder. An index to the recordings is given in the order they are played. As a sound enthusiast I'd have liked some information on where and when they were made, although I doubt whether many users would look for that level of detail.

The book contains information on the species featured, with a page on each one with a colour illustration by either Brin Edwards or Mike Langman. Information is given on identification and habitat together with a description of the song and/or call. An introductory section gives tips on fieldcraft together with an overview of bird sounds and how they are used by birds. Explanations of acoustical terms are given too.

For anyone looking for a basic introductory set of recordings this provides much of what they will need at an attractive price. It includes a number of northern species that have never appeared in Britain while ignoring several that breed here regularly. This guide is small enough to carry around in the field. By comparison the new Mitchell Beazley guide is far too hefty for that - but for an extra £5 it gives you recordings of a further fifty species and is more useful if visiting southern Europe. Neither book is comprehensive in its coverage.

I ahve found this book to be of great help. While knew which bird was calling many years ago - now returning to the subject have found this to be clear and interesting.

The painting are good and help to check which bird I am looking at.

Really good for a adult - not so sure for a child as could be a little complexe.

A good buy.