Coming Soon

Friends at Princeton sent me a list of new titles that will be available in the next few months, September-January 2027, to be exact. I share them with readers knowing that followers of this blog are probably first and foremost bird lovers but not without other diverse interests in the field of Natural History. 

My readers are great travellers too and there are titles here, incoming soon that may satisfy their search for travel and knowledge. From sea shells through to insects, birds and dinosaurs, a journey taking in Britain, USA, Central America and places in-between. The titles are intriguing as well as exciting and by following the links, a chance to read pre-publication pages, a sneak preview to maybe compile a Princeton wish list.

I am especially excited by news of The New Unfeathered Bird, a completely new and inevitably superb book by my friend Katrina van Grouw. Read about it below but you may have wait until next January to get your hands on a copy.                                                

Seashells: A Compendium of Five Thousand of the World’s Species by Paul Callomon and Gary Rosenberg. 

Seashells - Princeton

The book covers thousands of seashells from all the world's oceans, including named variants as well as many species never figured in a general work and many only recently named. Featuring a breathtaking array of stunning photos and up-to-date information on all groups, this book uses cutting-edge classification and places similar species together for easier comparison. Written by two of today's leading malacologists, the book covers every marine mollusc group and world region. Publication date: 22 September 2026   

Common Lichens of the Upland Southeast: Appalachia and the Piedmont by James Lendemer and Jason P. Hollinger. 

Common Lichens -  Princeton

This presents a new and simplified way to identify the key features of lichens. Describing 381 species, including many never before included in a field guide, this guide features hundreds of high-quality colour in situ macro photos, includes detailed discussions of natural communities, ecology, appearance, and comparable species, and draws on Lendemer and Hollinger’s decades of experience to address the difficulties and confusion commonly encountered when identifying individual species in the wild. Publication date: 29 September 2026   

Insects of Britain and Europe: A Field Guide by Thomas C. John, Peter Mullen, and Paul D. Brock features more than 5,500 clear colour photographs illustrating 3,000 species to aid in species identification with photo annotations and clear, concise descriptions. 

Insects of Britain and Europe - Princeton

This go-to guide for everyone interested in Europe’s insects also notes the habitat where each species is likely to be found and includes up-to-date distribution maps and flight-time graphics. Publication date: 29 September 2026   

Costa Rica’s Rainforests: The Natural History of the Plants and Animals of La Selva by Scott Wesley Shumway features more than 800 stunning colour photographs. Covering flowering plants, ferns, fungi, birds, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, fishes, and insects, this book is essential for anyone visiting the Costa Rican rainforest and is accessible to ecotourists, students, and scientists alike. Publication date: 29 September 2026   

Costa Rica's Rainforests - Princeton

The Atlas of North America’s Migratory Birds: Tracking Movement Across Seasons and Continents by Peter P. Marra and Amy L. Scarpignato compiles diverse data types from thousands of contributors. This treasure trove of data covers nearly 600 species and brings together banding data collected over the past century with information gathered using the latest tracking technology, stable isotopes, and genetic tools. 

Atlas of North America's Migratory Birds - Princeton

Featuring eBird maps for every species, published here for the first time, this book is an essential and definitive resource for ornithologists, conservationists, and birdwatchers. Publication date: 3 November 2026   

Birds of Madagascar: A Photographic Field Guide by Callan Cohen and Ken Behrens is the most comprehensive single-volume guide to the island’s birds, featuring every species ever recorded: the 266 residents and regular migrants, 39 recorded vagrants, and 16 potential vagrants. 

Birds of Madagascar - Princeton

Featuring more than 1,300 stunning colour photographs and accessibly presents key information for quick field identification, the accounts include all essential information, including size, colouration, distribution, behaviour, vocalizations, favoured habitats, and key sites for observation giving a thorough overview of Madagascar’s habitats and birding spots, this is the first field guide to include Malagasy as well as French names. Publication date: 3 November 2026   

The Language of Bees by James C. Nieh draws on decades of groundbreaking fieldwork, exploring how social bees rely on the remarkable signals to organise all aspects of their lives, from foraging and warfare to espionage and defence. From the famous waggle dance of honeybees to the secretive trails and potentially coded sounds of stingless bees, Nieh shows how their intricate communication systems reflect a delicate balance between cooperation and conflict and how a changing world disrupts these finely tuned systems. 

The Language of Bees - Princeton

Blending personal insights with cutting-edge science, this illuminating and informative book reveals how the study of bees continues to deepen our understanding of intelligence, resilience, and the diverse ways that life communicates. Publication date: 10 November 2026   

Common Mosses of the Southeastern United States by Joseph R. Rohrer, Kirsten McKnight Ward, and Karl B McKnight enables even complete novices to make accurate identifications in the field, but is also invaluable for experienced naturalists, botanists, and ecologists. 

Common Mosses - Princeton

This book features over 1,000 superb original photographs of all the species, as well as drawings and infographics covering more than 200 species.   Publication date: 17 November 2026   

The Princeton Field Guide to the Jurassic by Nan Crystal Arens and Paul M. Barrett profiles the breathtaking diversity of Jurassic fauna and flora. Featuring more than two hundred illustrations – from full-colour life studies and landscapes to detailed drawings of representative species – this book discusses dinosaurs, marine reptiles, early birds, pterosaurs, mammals, amphibians, insects, marine invertebrates, trees, and vibrant plant life. 

Guide to The Jurassic - Princeton

The Princeton Field Guide to the Jurassic is a must-have reference book for anyone interested in the prehistoric world of dinosaurs. Publication date: 5 January 2027   

The Grassland Queen: An Avian Love Story in the American Plains by Priyanka Kumar provides a naturalist’s lyrical journey into the world of the endangered long-billed curlew and the vanishing grasslands that sustain them. In this uniquely personal book, Priyanka Kumar brings the curlew’s poignant story to life as she tracks them over many years in New Mexico, the Great Plains, and the Great Basin in the United States. 

The Grassland Queen - Princeton

Blending pioneering fieldwork with vivid storytelling and the latest science, The Grassland Queen offers an eye-opening look at how keystone animals keep this iconic ecosystem open, and a look into the sustained love of a lifelong naturalist for her “Zen bird”. Publication date: 5 January 2027   

A New Unfeathered Bird by Katrina van Grouw is a sumptuous blend of art and science. Including around 600 illustrations, this entirely new and substantially expanded text is filled with up-to-date research. This new edition contains a new layout and design by the author, as well as a section on the genesis and creation of the book.

A New Unfeathered Bird - Princeton

A New Unfeathered Bird combines accessible scientific discussion with powerfully evocative nature writing. Publication date: 12 January 2027. 

I am pretty sure that after reading this post there's a few scribbles on the nearest piece of paper plus  mental notes made  of titles that appeal. Keep a look out for reviews of one or more of the above on Another Bird Blog. 

Bye for now.