Bird Nerd Book Club discussion

Hey all, thanks for joining the Bird Nerd Book Club GoodReads group. Hope you have had a good summer and gotten in some good summer reading! What birdy books have you gotten into lately?

I recently read two books related to birds. Becoming Wild by Carl Safina and The Bird Way: A New Look at How Birds Talk, Work, Play, Parent, and Think by Jennifer Ackerman
Both were enjoyable.

Because it’s shorebird season where I am, I read Birds by the Shore: Observing the Natural Life of the Atlantic Coast by Jennifer Ackerman. I got into a shorebird mood and learned a lot about other shores.

Gina wrote: "I recently read two books related to birds. Becoming Wild by Carl Safina and The Bird Way: A New Look at How Birds Talk, Work, Play, Parent, and Think by Jennifer Ackerman
Both were enjoyable."
I love anything from Carl Safina! Haven't read Jennifer Ackerman's work yet.

Kim wrote: "Because it’s shorebird season where I am, I read Birds by the Shore: Observing the Natural Life of the Atlantic Coast by Jennifer Ackerman. I got into a shorebird mood and learned a lot about other..."
Love it! I'm reading Far From Land by Michael Brooke trying to entice some cool seabird migrants my way.

This book blew me away: The Nighthawk's Evening: Notes of a Field Biologist by Gretchen N. Newberry. I am now wishing I had access to every stone covered, flat-roofed building. I am more interested in aerial insectivores than ever before!

Awesome! I’m just about to start the Nighthawk book - can’t wait!

Hello. I'm a bit late into the conversation, but I've been reading other things lately (usually fiction from authors that my wife and I have gone to see at lectures/signing/talks, and history-based ones.

However, recent-ish bird books that I have read include Bird Therapy, by Joe Harkness (he's also a public speaker and activist, and very open about his mental health and how birding helps).

Other non-field guide bird books include The Genius of Birds (Jennifer Ackerman), and The Twelve Birds of Christmas (Stephen Moss).

I have many more lined up on my never ending list...

Aaron wrote: "Hello. I'm a bit late into the conversation, but I've been reading other things lately (usually fiction from authors that my wife and I have gone to see at lectures/signing/talks, and history-based..."
Have you enjoyed reading Bird Therapy? It's been sitting on my shelf and I just can't bring myself to go back to it. I vaguely remember the first few pages being pretty tough to read.

I very much did. There are parts where it’s tough to read what he has gone through. However, it’s very insightful to learn how he got into birding and how it has helped him and basically saved his life. It also reminded me about what’s important about birding and why we do it, as sometimes we can stray from that (for example, we go for the beauty of birds and for our wellbeing, but then get caught up in twitching and listing). He also explains how much it means to him and how much it can mean to share with others, to teach others as well as to learn for oneself. There are funny bits and light hearted sections, and so it’s worth the read.

I just finished reading Black-Throated Blue Warbler by Jordan P. Spaulding. It is such a unique book and I plan to write a proper review of it soon. I wish there were more books like this by this author. He is so talented at balancing the characteristics of the birds, the plot, the whole natural world and an awareness for conservation. It was fascinating.

I am waiting for my library to receive and catalogue Birding with Benefits which promises to be a cute romance featuring birders. I will report back when I've been able to peruse it. 😊 🐦🐦🐦