The ground covered in this surprisingly entertaining book ranges from the first collectors (with a "if it moves we can kill it" type of approach) through to the technology rich experience of the modern twitcher. But this book covers so much more than just birdwatching.
The first half could be viewed as a study of changing attitudes to our relationship with the environment, viewed through the lens of birdwatching, with the changes in the way we studied birds either reflecting the view of nature or in some cases driving change. The second half of the book concentrates on the last 20 or so years, the rise of "twitching" and the impact of technology.
The changes that have occurred in our ability to watch birds are charted through changes in field guides, optics, transport, deposable income and eventually technology. A recurring theme in the book has been the change from the relative isolation of the early birders (not that the term existed at the time) to the more connected and fashionable pursuit of today. (Although I admit that "fashionable" may be over stating the case!) This is a really good book - and for those who have come to birding more recently it is an illuminating read as to the way things were.
I don't think it's really possible to have a good understanding of some of the debates that occur within the birding world without a decent grasp of the history of birding - and this book seems to give a balanced and readable account of that history.
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