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New Sibley and Kaufmann guides, and Re: Hummer meets it`s fate



On Wed, 13 Sep 2000, Randy Emmitt wrote:
> 
> This was something I`d never have thought would happen to a hummingbird.
> Will said he`d heard of it happening at feeders a few times. The film is
> still in my camera I`ll post photos to my site when I get them back.

Hi Carolinabirders,

Some time recently, maybe even last year, there was a photo of this 
happening (a praying mantis eating a hummingbird at a feeder) in 
"Birding" magazine, somewhere in the beginning; near the contents or 
letters section.

Been too busy catching up on sleep from my "Survivor"-like birding 
weekend with Frank, and helping my girlfriend get ready for her prelims, 
for much birding myself. I did find a female Black-and-white Warbler in 
my front yard the day before last, while I stumbled home for a nap. I'm 
rested now though, and ready both for the expected big rush of migrants 
from this cold front that's moving in, and for the fall NAMC in Chatham 
County this weekend!

Meanwhile, found some comparison on-line of the new field guides by Kenn 
Kaufmann and David Sibley from someone who caught a look at a 
prepublication copy of the Sibley guide. I'm still too busy enjoying the 
dragonfly guide to consider buying new bird guides for the moment... 
Happy reading, and good birding!

Josh

Joshua S. Rose
Duke University
Department of Biology (Zoology, R.I.P.)

jsr6@acpub.duke.edu
http://www.duke.edu/~jsr6/

 >-----Original Message-----
>From: Byron Butler (GD 1995) [mailto:byron.butler@yale.edu]
>Sent: Wednesday, September 13, 2000 8:25 AM
>To: ORNITH-L@LISTSERV.UARK.EDU
>Subject: New Sibley field guide
>
>
>I went to Jerry Connolly's Audubon Shop in Madison, CT today to buy the
>new Kenn Kaufman field guide, which had just arrived. It is interesting,
>but what really got my attention was a copy of the new, and long awaited,
>bird guide by David Sibley. Jerry obtained a copy of this guide well in
>advance of its October 10 release date and has already had a chance to
>test it while birding in the western US. In a word, WOW!
>
>To be honest, I had not raised my hopes too high in anticipation of this
>guide. The reason is that, although David us undeniably one of the best,
>if not THE best - and many think he IS the best -- birder in North America
>and has proven to be an excellent artist, David just doesn't talk much. I
>ran into David many years ago while he was working on this book and talked
>to him about it. I was left with the impression that the emphasis would be
>on the bird art and that text would be as taciturn as David. But this is
>not the case, the guide contains a great deal of art and alsocontains an
>impressive amount of text. It appears to have it all.
>
>Jerry Connolly's opinion is that the Sibley guide just blows away
>everything else. Please note, that this message from me is not to be
>considered a review of the book, I looked at it only superficially and
>only for a short period of time. Nevertheless, my first impression of it
>is, again, WOW! I eagerly look forward to reading reviews of the Sibley
>guide by knowledgable persons after they have taken the time to study it
>carefully. This book is sure to test the knowledge of the best
>ornithologists and birders in the world. Jerry was eager to show me
>Sibley's illustration of a Botteri's Sparrow, which Jerry had just used to
>ID a Botteri's in the field. The illustration looked just like the bird
>Jerry saw, he said; then Jerry turned to illustrations of the same species
>in the NGS guide (3rd ed.), which did not look anything like Sibley's
>illustration or what Jerry saw out West. No wonder I had trouble with that
>species on my last trip to its habitat!
>
>The Sibley guide is large, much larger than the NGS guide. It is not field
>guide size at all and most certainly is not a "pocket guide." It promises
>to challenge even the largest coat pockets - I know some birders buy their
>coats based on the coat's pockets' ability to hold favorite guides (and
>snacks). Well, good luck finding a coat for this one! The size of this
>guide is sure to put some people off. However, for the serious birders the
>information in this book is worth packing it around. And, best of all, it
>costs only $35.00 retail. I consider this a tremendous bargain.
>
>As mentioned above, the release date of the Sibley guide is October 10.
>David Sibley is to be in New York on that day to give a talk, "The Making
>of A Field Guide," although I don't know where this will take place. I
>understand that he will be on all the morning talk shows that day as the
>publisher is investing quite a large sum of money in publicity for this
>book. Book signings will take place then.
>
>Many people, like myself, are already reserving copies. Some people are
>reserving two
>copies, one to use, the other to rat hole for the future, this being the
>first printing of the first edition of a guide that many think will be on
>par with Roger Tory Peterson's first guide as a collectable. The publisher
>is marketing a trail from Audubon through Peterson to Sibley! Thus,
>those familiar with this guide think it is BIG -- and it appears to me
>that they just might be correct.
>
>It is too bad that Kenn Kaufman's guide came out so close to the Sibley
>guide as it is destined to be overshadowed by it. However, don't overlook
>the Kaufman guide. It employs digitally enhanced photos of birds. Although
>I purchased a copy of it today, I spent my time looking at the Sibley
>guide and can not comment on Kaufman at this time, other than to say that
>it costs an even $20.00 - a fair price. The two guides are very different
>and are aimed at different end users, Sibley being for the more advanced.
>It is possible that between these two new guides many others will be
>shelved. However, I feel that the venerable old Peterson guide will enjoy
>a long life yet.
>
>The Sibley guide was worth the wait.
>
>Please feel free to cross post this announcement to other lists.
>
>Byron
>******************************************************************
>Byron K. Butler         "A liberal education ... frees a man from
>58 Windfall Lane        the prison-house of his class, race, time,
>Guilford, CT 06437      place, background, family and even his
>byron.butler@yale.edu   nation."     ---  Robert Maynard Hutchins
>******************************************************************