Subject: A Birder's Guide to Washington
Date: Nov 3 11:59:25 2003
From: Bruce Moorhead - bruceb at olypen.com


I just received a copy of this new book, just out from the American Birding
Association ($29.95; paperback), and sat up 'til midnight last night
perusing it. Washington State has a rather impressive diversity of bird
species in a relatively compact area: so you can see many different kinds of
birds in a relatively short time and small space. In places like Port
Angeles (the entry to Olympic National Park) on the northern Olympic
Peninsula, this amounts to a sharp gradient-offering of habitats and species
that ranges from ski-to-sea literally in a matter of minutes.

Expanding upon Wahl and Paulson's fine but out-of-date state birdfinding
guide, this new book--pulled together capably by Hal Opperman--is truly a
collaborative effort by a number well-informed birders and naturalists to
update information on a myriad of species and locations into a single,
accessible reference. Like the first book, the birding site descriptiions
are complemented by monthly bar graphs of species occurrence and an
annotated checklist for each species--as well as annotated checklists for
mammal, amphibian, reptile, butterfly, and dragonfly species as well! The
index to the various bird species and birding locations is a bit unwieldy
but adequate; a statewide map on the book's rear overleaf is cross-indexed
to allow quick location and page-reference to the various birding sites
described.

The book tries to be compact but there's so much in it that it's rather too
bulky for field use; e.g., about a half inch thicker and an inch longer than
Sibley's new (and more compact) field guide to the western birds. So it's a
bit unwieldy for pocket or vest, or even hip or daypack, if you also carry a
bird guidebook, etc. But it's definitely a great new "car book" for birding
travelers in Washington. This state has a lot of good birders and I think
the book's strengthened by having experienced local birders prepare the
various regional and site accounts; e.g., Bob Norton and Bob Morse do a good
job of boiling down and making accessible the varied birding opportunities
on the northern Olympic Peninsula, where I live.

I'd get this book if you're a visiting or resident birder planning trips
throughout the state or need to know more about where best to find certain
species in Washington. Or, if you're a longtime resident birder and explorer
like me, and simply want to learn more about whatever birding opportunities
may be lurking around you wherever you find yourself in this beautiful
state. Unfortunately, I now have to carry a ever-burgeoning cardboard box
full of new and improved references like this in my car as I ramble around;
but this one will assuredly always be there--and will be used regularly.

Bruce Moorhead
Port Angeles, WA
bruceb at olypen.com