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.

 

 

Καλές μέρες. Part Two

Wow, it’s hot up here in the North West England, 24 degrees it seems. 

Not as hot as London and the South East but the folk down there have a lot more to enjoy and celebrate than us barbarians. 

As promised, here’s more news, views and photos from Skiathos May 2026. There’s lots of photos to pic and click for the full experience. 

The hired Suzuki Jimny took us to places mere cars cannot reach although even in a 4x4, and following a winter of rain, mudslides and essential traffic, the island’s many unmade tracks to the north of the island were not pleasant to ride. 

Skiathos

A visit to Evangelistria Monastery for breakfast is an easier option. A fast uphill drive in first gear taking care to avoid oncoming local traffic more familiar with the gradient and endless twists & turns. There’s a good view down to JSI Airport and places in between with always a very high Buzzard, a passing Hobby or two and the inevitable shrike. 

Evangelistria

Evangelistria

Evangelistria

Evangelistria

Evangelistria

Evangelistria 

Evangelistria Monastery of Greek Orthodoxy is an active working monastery and the only fully operational one on the island of Skiathos. 

A small community of monks still lives, worships and maintain the grounds. Alongside their religious duties the monks manage various traditional operation including wine production of their famous Alypiakos wine, olive pressing and looking after the on site museum. 

There is also a fine cafe to serve the many tourists in the summer months and locals throughout the off season. We once made the mistake of going there on a Sunday morning but found it impossible to park in the large car park or leading up to it such were the huge numbers of people arriving to worship.  

Red-backed Shrike

Hobby

Evangelistria Monastery

Church at the Monastery

Monastery Garden

Our newly made friends, two discerning monastery doggies, were interested in our omelette containing Gouda & bacon but not the accompanying bread which both chose to leave. We said goodbye to them, promising to return another day with Greek sausage. That might be to their liking. 

Evangelistria 

Evangelistria 

The drive down to Skiathos Town passes Aghia Zoni, a tiny and immaculately kept chapel with fabulous views and the ever-present blue & white flags of Greece, a common sight throughout the entire country. Would that we Brits were encouraged to show pride in our nation and culture by displaying The Union Flag, a reminder of a remarkable success story of enterprise, endeavour, creativity and history that stretches back thousands of years. 

Aghia Zoni

From Aghia Zoni a chapel on the hillside

 

A left turn at the bottom of the never ending downhill slalom took us towards the International Airport JSI, the traditional boatyard and the paralia (coastline) that leads into Skiathos Town. We stopped for a look towards the town from a favourite view point where some times there are egrets, shags and occasionally a Kingfisher. 

 

Viewpoint

Viewpoint

The Boatyard - Skiathos

European Shag

Grey Heron

We stopped as instructed at Skiathos’ only set of traffic lights even though not many vehicles do so but where a photo of Mylos Taverna proved irresistible. 

 

Stop!

The SAS

Jet2

Mylos Taverna

Super Star Two is the latest and magnificent giant super-ferry to travel between the islands, the main stopping points being Skopelos, Skiathos, Alonissos and the Greek mainland at Volos, Thessaloniki. We set off to get closer views of the monster ship and watch the activity of the arrivals, departure and inevitable drama of this daily occurrence. Remarkably, the entire turnaround of hundreds of people and dozens of vehicles large & and small is so well organised, practised and choreographed that within 15 minutes the ship pulls away from the quayside and off through the outlying islands to the next timetabled stop.

Walking along the sunny jetty, camera in hand is a photographer’s dream.

Skiathos 2026

Skiathos 2026

Skiathos 2026

Skiathos 2026

Skiathos 2026

Skiathos 2026

Skiathos 2026

Skiathos 2026

 

Another Jimny

I heard that real cameras are making a comeback now that many people have realised the limitations of mobile phone pictures. In a couple of  weeks I saw a tiny handful of people using a real camera, a mobile phone the default for 99.9% of would be photographers. A shame really because it is impossible to better pictures from a SLR or mirrorless device with a couple of lenses.

A smart phone is convenient for instant editing, and is useful  for everyday use and social media. However, a dedicated quality camera provides superior images from larger sensors, natural depth of field and complete manual control for all users, amateur or professional. 

The hot weather made me stay indoors and revert to blogging  for a change. Whether that means there will be Happy Days Part 3 is anyone's guess. Stay tuned to find out.

Bird Photographer of the Year, Collection 10

Another year goes by. It seems just yesterday that I reviewed Bird Photographer of the Year, Collection 9. And now, if a little late following the first package going missing in the post, Collection 10 arrives via a knock at the door from Parcel Force. 

Princeton’s Bird Photographer of the Year, Collection 10 celebrates bird photography from around the world, and as the sub-title explains this is the tenth iteration via a large format “coffee table” book of 11×9 inches. This is a perfect size with which to grab a cup of coffee, fully open said book onto a knee-height table and to then absorb the 250 or so fabulous photos. 

Bird Photographer of the Year Collection 10 

Opening the early pages reveals the categories of winning entries together with the “special awards”, a list that follows a helpful, logical order enabling a reader to quickly locate their own specialism. In the case of myself, all of the categories apply except perhaps the concept of Creative Perspective, but one ideal for photographers of an artistic intent. 

Categories - Bird Photographer of the Year Collection 10

 

Working slowly through the pages a reader will find close to each entry the photographer’s words around the how, the where and the when of the shutter clicks that captured their winning shot. These notes and explanations of the occasion of the photo detail a wealth of technological data for camera enthusiasts, amateur and professionals alike. Here is information about the camera make, the lens, shutter speeds, the aperture and the relative ISO for readers seeking to emulate or better the winning shot. It's a learning curve for sure in allowing us all to perhaps experiment a little more with our accustomed dial settings.

Free Whale Shower - Bird Photographer of the Year Collection 10

Free Whale Shower - Bird Photographer of the Year Collection 10

Almost without exception the pictures come from the leading makes of Canon, Sony, Nikon in either DSLR or mirrorless form with just the occasional Olympus. If only it was so simple because despite the technical data, these stunning pictures in isolation cannot explain a winning photographer’s vital skills in field craft, experience, empathy and the lying in wait in often inclement weather. And of course a photographer's knowledge of how birds behave under many different circumstances of the season, time of day, weather and external influences. 

An encounter with a bird or birds is impermanent, a one off, never to be repeated again, hence why, and to the annoyance of some, a photographer’s need to keep the button pressed until the buffer is full to bursting. Everyone is after that world beating picture as displayed in Collection 10. However those setting out in pursuit of birds with slightly less costly equipment should not be discouraged but instead take heart and advice from the stories here that luck, perseverance, timing and field craft are vital elements in taking that special picture.  

Northern Harrier and Grey-headed Fish Eagle - Princeton

As I penned these words while recalling my favourite pictures from Collection 10, I ran out of superlatives. In no particular order - breathtaking, captivating, exceptional, extraordinary, fantastic, phenomenal, stunning, striking, unique, evocative, impressive, mesmerising, timeless. 

Anhinga in Florida - Princeton

There is an overall victor of BPOTY with both winners and runner ups in all of the categories listed in the opening pages. Meanwhile the link to Princeton's page about the book  - Princeton does not feature many of the winning pictures, and where in my opinion, those featured are not the best of the fabulous 250 pictures described here. 

Princeton are right to expect that people buy and enjoy the whole book of 250 images with their corresponding and instructive information rather than a cursory scan of half a dozen images on a PC or mobile phone. However, for those yet to decide whether to spend £35 on this book it’s possible to view a better selection of the category winners at https://www.birdpoty.com/2025-winners.   

I interspersed the review with a few of my own favourites, however a reproduced image via a computer screen is not the ideal way to judge this book. Despite the drains and demands on all of our finances in these difficult times £35 is a relatively small sum of money to own a copy for future reference and/or to revisit on many a dark winter’s day. 

Flamingo - Bird Photographer of the Year Collection 10

And as we approach the Chrismas festival of late December, other than the latest bells and whistles camera and lens that could cost £10,000 - £15, 000, what better gift could there be for the birdwatcher in your life than this splendid book?

Price: $39.95/£35.00 

ISBN: 9780691278674  

Published: Sep 30, 2025 

Pages: 256 

Size: 11.25 x 9 in. 

245 colour photos.

PS. To all my friends who enquired after my well being. Thank you so much. Yes, I am well but taking a lengthy break from blogging. Maybe I will return soon with more news and pictures.