Sunday book review – The Shark and the Albatross by John Aitchison

Reviewed by Ian Carter John Aitchison is, justifiably, one of our most acclaimed wildlife filmmakers, having worked on well-known series such as Frozen Planet, Yellowstone, Hebrides and Springwatch. This book tells the background story to some of his most memorable trips. If you watch these programmes regularly then some of the scenes he describes will…

Sunday book review – Foxes Unearthed by Lucy Jones

I enjoyed reading this book (which is now out in paperback). This book is about Foxes: hunted Foxes, urban Foxes, hen-eating Foxes, Foxes in literature and country lore. Foxes in our heads and in our hearts. It’s a well-written largely affectionate but not sentimental look at Foxes from lots of angles and it’s a very…

Sunday book review – What Good are Birds by Antonio Sandoval Rey

  Reviewed by Ian Carter Not What Birds are Good? as I initially thought having misread the title but What Good are Birds?, a somewhat broader and altogether more interesting question. His initial answer (to an inquisitorial family passing his regular sea-watching spot in Galicia, north-west Spain) was rather good I thought – ‘for flying’…

Sunday book review – Birds of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East: a photographic guide by Frederic Jiguet and Aurelien Audevard

  This is a photographic field guide which covers all European bird species including vagrants and some species which have not yet occurred but are quite likely to do so eventually. In one slimmish volume the reader has images (over 2200 of them) of every species of bird (860) they might see on the continent….

Sunday book review – Kingfishers by David Chandler

  This book, published on Thursday, is a celebration of one of our favourite birds; everyone loves a Kingfisher. If you are out with other birdwatchers and one of you spots a Kingfisher then there is always a note of excitement as the bird is mentioned –  ‘Kingfisher!!’. Nobody ever announces a Kingfisher with a…