Now that I FINALLY have my nice signed copy, I can say that I really like
this book. (Is it worth keeping the signed copy all shiny and new and
buy another one cheap for $27 at KMart so I can get it muddy and bent like
all my other FGs?)
Love the plates. Love the text detail. Love the layout. But they should
have followed Christidis & Boles to the letter, as it IS the order
accepted by RAOU. I have only had time to look at certain plates in
detail, but I'm basically very happy.
To answer q's:
Yes, we need another FG. We always need another FG, as soon as someone
changes the taxonomic stuff, or the ranges widen or (inevitably) shrink,
etc. I can't see why anyone would miss this new one, anyhow. I feel a
bit sorry for Ken and Nicholas, but I guess they've got their investment
back by now - they did have a good head start :-)
Yes - I'd like to see the rare stuff illustrated (some guides I've used
overseas even have the LIKELY species! But I suppose a Cook Islands FG
would be a bit thin with only the birds on the list...)
I suppose it IS a bit large - but at least that gives us great images and
decent font size as we're all getting older ...
Nothing wrong about the sport of error-spotting. At least it gives them a
chance of getting it right if they do a reprint - but, HEY!! Don't wait
that long for this great guide!!
I'm archiveing all the messages about the guide and I'll put them on the
web page somewhere when I get around to doing an update. But first I have
to go and practise my skiing at Mt Hutt (big grin...)
Russell Woodford
Birding-Aus List Adminbeing
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