Brad

I’d like to thank Princeton Press for sending out a new batch of birding books for my review. The first of these is Nigel Cleere’s Nightjars, Potoos, Frogmouths, Oilbird and Owlet-nighjars of the World. That title normally gets abbreviated to Nightjars of the World. I found this beautiful, full-sized, hard-cover book to be a wonderful addition to my library. Nightjars are among the most elusive targets for the bird watcher. In addition to being master of camouflage, they are generally nocturnal. While we might hear the call of the Whip-poor-will in the moonlit night, finding them and getting a good look at them is another matter altogether. Nightjars of the World uses more than 580 photos of the various species of Nightjars from around the world to let the reader get to know the entire order of Caprimulgiformes. By the way, did you know that the nightjar is the origin of the legend of the chupacabra, or mysterious goat sucker? You can read my full review of Nightjars of the World at this link or click the link below to find it at Amazon.com.

I was lucky enough to be invited by the Jamaica Tourist Board to visit the island and see the amazing bird watching opportunities that Jamaica has to offer. Jamaica has 28 endemic bird species (species that live only in Jamaica) and it is possible to see them all in one trip with a knowledgeable local guide. I missed a couple of them, but the trip was meant to be an overview to get me to see a number of different birding locations in Jamaica rather than personally get me to see as many birds as possible.
I, along with five other journalists who focus on bird watching topics, was put up at two of Jamaica’s finest eco-friendly hotels/ lodges during my stay. Both offer great food and accomodations while maintaining environmentally sound business practices. I enjoyed both Hotel Mocking Bird Hill and Forres Park very much. We were able to find unique birds on the grounds of both places and both were within relatively easy driving distance of some of Jamaica’s top birding habitats (for the experienced local drivers that were provided to us).
Click this link to read more about the bird watching vacation in Jamaica or click here if you just want to see the pictures from the Jamaica trip.

Two new birding books ahve been publsihed by Princeton University Press. They are Birds of Eastern North America, a Photographic Guide and Birds of Western North America, a Photographic Guide both by Paul Sterry aan Brian E. Small. Click this link for a complete review of these new birdwatching field guides. I highly recommend both of these books as you will be able to tell from the review. They are a bit bigger than most birding field guides and so they are a little more bulky to carry around, but that leaves more room for bigger pictures to help identify birds.

Eduardo del Solar’s newest photographs are being put on public display at the Boston Nature Center in Mattapan, MA. The exhibit is open to the public and contains some incredible bird photography that really captures the essence and personality of such birds as the blue-footed booby, the tropic bird, the ivory gull, and the Galapagos hawk among others. The artistry of the del Solar’s photography is matched only by the technical excellence of his work.  On October 3rd, from 2:00-4:00 PM there will be a kick-off reception with wine and cheese that is open to the public (and free). Eduardo del Solar will mingle with fans and answer questions about the birds and the photography. It’s even more amazing when you consider that the photos in the exhibit were taken in his spare time as he has been a Boston city public school teacher for the last 25 years and continue in that profession today. The exhibit is his third in the Birds of the America series produced for the Boston Nature Center. Follow the link for a sneak preview of some of the photos and for complete information about the show and del Solar.

Many birds are social creatures to some extent. That’s why many birds sing to communicate, and even use different songs, calls and intonations for different meanings. They may flock together for all or part of the year or they may only be social within the context of their own immediate families. In either case, ensuring that others within their flock or family get food and, conversely, sharing the food that others find, is a survival benefit for most birds. Many birds have distinct calls or songs that they use when plentiful food is available.
Read the full story about birds singing to alert others to food sources.