Following up the observations of Jerry Blinn, Yvonne Bombardier and Eric
Kraig, I also have some thoughts after reviewing my new third edition.
Over 5 years ago I sent the Geographic several pages of suggestions from
myself and Bob Storer at the University of Michigan. I was interested to
see if they had accepted any - and they did.
An illustration of the Black Turnstone in flight was added (170),
but the diagnostic pattern is still only mentioned under the Ruddy
description.
The famous "Blue Jay with no leg or foot" (312) picture has been
modified by adding leg scales to the former twig beneath the bird. Now,
about the continuity of that twig--?
The Connecticut Warbler (382) with "the foot that took New York"
in the first edition, still has the foot covered with the second edition
leaf!
The stripe on the White winged Dove (236) has been modified to
follow the edge of the wing when folded, correcting the first two
editions.
The "80 new Species" is expanded by a number of rarities. There
is the Nutting's Flycatcher which I saw in Arizona 17 months ago - the
second ever north of the Mexican border. Also there's the Mitred Parakeet
which can be found squawking over Seward Park on a regular basis. And
some of the 80 are split up species such as the Solitary Vireo (308).
The summer range brown on the range maps is a considerable
improvement over the previous editions' pale yellow. But I do wish they
had been able to incorporate an inside the cover index like the Stokes
Field Guides. Now we'll have to wait, hopefully, for the Ideaform Press
in Iowa to come out with their new BirdQuick Index for this edition. This
will be especially helpful, indeed essential, since the new edition has
shuffled the species order to conform with the AOU's current check list.
Drat!
As mentioned by previous commentators, the pictures are more crisp
(finer screen) but the colors seem to vary. I wonder how much this will
vary from printing to printing? Some of the darker prints (e.g. the
Scaup) decrease the emphasis on iridescent head color which can change
drastically with different light. This is helpful. The color of the
under wings of the Flickers (276) ,however, remains unacceptably pale for
both shafted groups.
The Horned and Eared Grebes in breeding plumage still show white
along the water line. This is seen only when these birds are
'advertising' with their head held high, and then only at the front.
Peterson's Western shows this better, as well as the lower sterns, usually
seen with both of these Grebes, unless they're 'sunbathing' as illustrated
by the Least Grebe in winter (24).
But, in sum, the new Geographic Field Guide will be my major field
resource, as soon as I can work out the fast-draw index.
Fran Wood <fbwood at u.washington.edu>