I ought to put in my bit from an international perspective and especially as I
know the Thomas duo (no financial interest, just supporting a classic book!).
Richard kindly loaned me a pre-issue chapter for my Dec 10, trip to WA as the
new book wasn't out then. Having used T & T 1st ed for my 11 visits from UK
since the nineties it was the one book that I would always make room for in the
limited hand luggage allowance, usually a jacket pocket! As it was originally
written for the visiting (serious) birdwatchers from Europe rather than
Australian folk the emphasis was on being a 'complete' guide and it surely
fulfilled this niche for many years. I don't believe there has been a single
publication since that one could use to the sort of level of detail. Written
effectively before the Internet it was written very much following the old
fashioned (more reliable?) paper trip report with proper sketch maps that we
all
used to write. So yes I discovered that Mt Magnet golf course wasn't there
last
December or at least there was no-one playing on the 'greens' but the new guide
gives you the best all around info for finding your own birds something that
seems to be a diminishing art nowadays as it seems to have become 'mandatory'
to employ guides everywhere one goes birding. (Admittedly I used an excellent
guide in Vic for the Plains Wanderer but then would I have ever found one
myself
before my visa expired!) Back to the point then, I think Oz birders shouldn't
need to rely on the new T & T but for the international visitor who only wants
one site guide along with a basic field guide there is no competition as yet.
Must order my full version ready for next trip.
Good birding..
Matthew Rodgers,UK
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