New Titles

                                                                                                                                                          
1) Seebohm, Henry. The Birds of Siberia: A Record of a Naturalist's Visits to the Valleys of the Petchora and Yenesei. 1901 (2011). Cambridge University Press. Paperback: 512 pages. Price: $39.99 U.S.

SUMMARY: Henry Seebohm (1832–95) was a Yorkshire steel manufacturer and passionate amateur ornithologist. He travelled widely in Greece, Scandinavia, Turkey and South Africa studying birds in their native habitats. He served as secretary of the Royal Geological Society, was a fellow of the Linnean Society, and member of the British Ornithologists' Union and of the Zoological Society. This volume, published in 1901, contains two books recounting his travels in Siberia. Siberia in Europe (1880) was the result of an expedition to the lower Pechora River valley in 1875 with zoologist J. A. Harvie-Brown, and also his study of bird migrations in Heligoland with ornithologist Heinrich Gätke. He located the breeding grounds of several visitors to Britain, including the grey plover and Bewick's swan. Siberia in Asia (1882) was published after his 1877 journey with Arctic explorer Joseph Wiggins along the Yenisey River. There are numerous woodcuts illustrating birds and Siberian landscapes.
RECOMMENDATION: For those that have an interest in early ornithological studies or Siberian exploration.

                                                                               
2) Wormworth, Janice and Cagan H. Sekercioglu. Winged Sentinels: Birds and Climate Change. 2011. Cambridge University Press. Paperback: 262 pages. Price: $40.00 U.S.
SUMMARY: 'The ability of the birds to show us the consequences of our own actions is among their most important and least appreciated attributes. Despite the free advice of the birds, we do not pay attention', said Marjory Stoneman Douglas in 1947. From ice-dependent penguins of Antarctica to songbirds that migrate across the Sahara, birds' responses provide early warning signs of the impact of climate change. Winged Sentinels: Birds and Climate Change uses colourful examples to show how particular groups of birds face heightened threats from climate change and to explore how we can help birds adapt in a warming world. Generously illustrated with colour photographs, the book is a fascinating insight into what climate change means for birds, and the potential consequences of ignoring these warning signs.
RECOMMENDATION: A good introduction on the subject.