Photo by Muffy Aldrich
The Modern Guide to The Thing Before Preppy

Monday, March 2, 2020

Bird Books

In Need of Thinning - Photo by Salt Water New England

12 comments:

  1. Why would you thin ?
    Our home is filled with bird books.
    Favorite is Birds of America (2 volumes-both copy write 1917-1936 )

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  2. Late Bloomer! Just picked up the Petersons Field Guide, wonderful book.

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  3. Thin them? Thin them?!? Are you guys nuts?

    We aren't more than ordinary birders, but we have about 50 linear feet of bird books, pamphlets, location finding guides, old checklists, a complete set of Bent's Life Histories, etc. etc.

    Hope you have some Pete Dunne in the collection — keep 'em, they make good loaners to those who wonder what it's about.

    (Thin them????)

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  4. I sympathize. When I moved and decided to thin out my book cases, I removed 90% of the fiction and kept only about 300 nonfiction books. Not sure what to say about your bird books, since they appear to be nonfiction, unless you have nearby Audubon members who would love to peruse them. (Not that you asked for my suggestion.)

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  5. I won't ever part with any of my bird books or other science and nature books. When I was in school, I worked with a local woman in VA who wrote a book with photos about the native species. Many of the species in that book are either extinct or no longer in my area. I think it's important to keep these books as a historical reference.

    In response to the above suggestion to loan, I've always been extremely disappointed when my books were returned. My books have been chewed up by pets, ripped to shreds by babies, left on the dinner table and returned to me with sticky food on the cover and pages, left outdoors/ruined or completely lost and not a single offer to repair or replace. It's truly appalling how people disrespect books- especially someone else's book. I no longer loan my books to anyone- PERIOD!

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  6. If you hold it in your hand and it 'sparks joy'.....just joking....there is no such thing as too many books, or art supplies....as long as we thank them for their service ; ).

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  7. A wealth of riches! Thanks again.

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  8. There is no such thing as too many books. My personal library has over 6000 and of that, 200 are bird books. Books are a wonderful thing and the very best of friends!

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  9. I've never been able to part with a bird book! Old, with broken spine, loose pages, tattered cover--still on the shelf, or in my pocket. I love my old, first purchases because they contain the notes of an enthusiastic novice birder, dates, weather, numbers. The collection has grown over the years as friends and relatives discover the perfect gift for me. Wouldn't part with a single one, and try not to lend them.
    Suzanne in Boulder

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  10. Two important ones you’re missing are Hawks in Flight and Peterson’s Seawatching. My husband and I talked to a young woman on the Schoodic Peninsula who was counting birds and identifying them when they were quite far away. I asked her what she was seeing to id the birds. She helped me look for salient features. Later she showed me the Seawatching book and said it helped her learn the sea birds in flight. I bought a copy later in the bookstore in Bar Harbor. It’s my favorite souvenir.

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  11. I see an Edwin Way Teale in the set. I am slowly working my way through his works. And I agree with the rest- never too many bird books- I inherited my grandfathers , have added mine and someday my sons will have them and add theirs.

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  12. Save 'em. Who knows what birds we'll have by mid-century. These might be collectors items soon.

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