Book review: Looking at Birds by John Busby

Yes it's billed as the antidote to field guides- not a replacement.

JB's work is well known - he's been around awhile and his 'Drawing Birds' is a classic. This is in a way more personal- though his work really is a reflection of his thought processes anyway.

The book is packed with great observational drawings- note I didn't say sketches- see p 22 and try doing  that standard of observational drawing without a knowledge of bird anatomy and topography- the birds are all identifiable even without resort to colour.

Why is it an antidote to field guides? Well it gets us away from immaculate colour perfect renderings of birds in perfect light and into 'hey that was a small phyllosc going into that sallow- flew like a yellow-browed ! '    territory.

Real bird observers will love this book- and if you aren't already this will point you in the right direction.

To paraphrase Martin Garner- spend less time looking at bird books and more time looking at birds!

S

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