| Hello birders,
If you are interested in purchasing David Hollands' book "Owls, Frogmouths & Nightjars of Australia" through the sales desk, please email me before Friday 28th November so that I can place your order. For more information on this title, please follow this link to the Sales page of the COG website. The book is normally $59.95 but is available for a short time for $45.00, and each copy will be signed by the author!
Ian Fraser recently reviewed this book and this is what he had to write:
"David
Hollands is now a well-established and highly respected feature of the
Australian bird photography and field studies landscape. I was a bit
startled to realise that his Birds of the Night, the precursor to this
volume and well-browsed on my shelf, appeared way back in 1991. His books are
always very personal, in part because of his seemingly indefatigable energy and
willingness to spend countless hours and days (or nights in this case) in
gaining great familiarity with his subjects. As a result, he has studied and
photographed at the nest all but two of the species in this book, a remarkable achievement in itself . The photos
moreover would be truly superb, even if they had been of commoner and day time
species. Not a great fan of heights myself, I shudder at the image of
Hollands perched high in the rainforest canopy opposite a Lesser Sooty Owl
nest, on a flimsy tower and plaform comprising slender cut poles nailed
together, or swinging about while climbing a 25 metre free-swinging ladder into
the crown of a huge old eucalypt. Each species receives its own chapter; very sensibly he does not try
to repeat informtion available from elsewhere, but focusses on his own, often
fascinating, observations and experiences. His very attractive approach is summarised in a couple of quotes
from the book. “No matter how much we know in nature, there is always something
still to learn.” “... a Boobook calling loudly in the trees outside. Life is
the richer for it being there.” Indeed. One could say something similar about
this book. A word in an ear about Christmas presents might not go astray here."
I will also bring the few remaining 2009 Messent Bird Calendars to the COG Christmas Party on the 10th December, so take this opportunity to snap them up before the New Year (only $8.00)!
Merry Christmas!
Beth Mantle
H: 02 6287 7860
M: 0407 174 427
E:
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