I read Niven's comments about the Morcombe guide.
Any effort that draws attention to our wonderful birdlife deserves
support, particularly in this day and age. All illustrators of birds
can't be as good as Peter Slater, Bill Cooper or Robert Ulmann, for
example.
Individuals who are inspired to both illustrate and write field guides
and the like are seldom adequately rewarded for their herculean efforts.
I try to refrain from criticising (privately or publicly) something
that I know I can't do better myself. So comments like "considering
some of the revolting illustrations that have been thrust on the
bird-book-buying-public locally and overseas" and "second rate
illustrations" are not encouraging. No-one is forced to buy these
books. Personally I would buy all of them, if only for the wealth of
information they contain. In fact, I'd buy anything with a bird on it!
The text is probably more important than the illustrations for me -
they go hand in hand, and I'm sure I'm not unique in this regard.
Congratulations Michael Morcombe, and all encouragement to those who
follow in your footsteps.
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