1) The Complete Guide to Patch Birding: Making the most of your local area. 2026. Helm. Paperback: 192 pages. Price:
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: For birdwatching thrills and excitement, why not look closer to home? You don't need to rely on hours of travel to reach remote locations – choose a local 'patch' that you can visit regularly instead. Cut out the car and become familiar with the resident and visiting birds that can be found in your chosen spot, their habits and behaviour, and the subtle changes that occur there throughout the seasons.
In The Complete Guide to Patch Birding, you'll find out how to make the most of local birding, including how to identify and pick a patch, the best times of day to try to find different birds, the essential kit, how to record sightings, understanding the impact of weather, and how to find rare birds, as well as information about migrant and breeding species.
Whether it's spotting a charm of goldfinches lighting up a gloomy January day, a robin gathering leaves and moss for its new nest in March, the uplifting sight of migratory swallows arriving to signify the start of summer, or hearing the call of young little owls on mild October nights, there are many joys to be had in simply watching and enjoying the birds on your doorstep. This practical guide contains all the information you need to get started.
RECOMMENDATION: Although this book is British in origin, North American birders should find it useful.
2) Dunne, Pete. Under Their Wing: How Birds Shape the Human Experience. 2026. Chelsea Green. Hardbound: 200 pages. Price:
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: From the ancient Egyptian mummified ibises to Yankee Doodle’s famous feathered cap, to the more obscure Arm and Hammer Company bird cards tucked within boxes of baking soda, this book charts our ongoing fascination with birds for thousands of years.
Pete Dunne—one of the most celebrated and recognized birders in North America—doesn’t shy away from the ugly parts of this history, from the astonishing numbers of avian fatalities as they attempt to migrate through a host of dangerous manmade obstacles twice a year, to the section he’s called the “hall of shame” which covers the species we’ve made extinct in North America, to “Your Bird Neighbors” where he inventories the birds currently declining or facing extinction.
Throughout, Dunne reminds us that as we are the problem, we can and must be the solution to protecting our avian kin and continuing to celebrate them and partner with them as we have throughout human history. This book is for history lovers, as well as for birders who will enjoy coming across their favorite species in new and surprising places throughout our shared time on this planet.
RECOMMENDATION: If you enjoyed the author's other books, you should enjoy this one.
3) Seashells: A Compendium of Five Thousand of the World's Species. 2026. Princeton University Press. Hardbound. 330 pages. Price:
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: The mollusks are the largest group of animals on the planet after the insects. Throughout history, their shells have inspired scientists, artists, and collectors with their amazing shapes, colors, and patterns. Seashells is a marvelous single-volume reference to some five thousand species, presenting shells found from sandy beaches and coral reefs to polar shores and the ocean depths. The comprehensive introduction gives an overview of the mollusks, a review of collecting and storage techniques, and a guide to classification and naming. Up-to-date names and distribution information accompany more than 5,400 original high-resolution images, arranged in the latest systematic sequence and reviewed for accuracy by an international board of leading specialists. Ideal for beginners and professionals alike, this is the ultimate book of seashells, from collectors’ favorites like the cones and cowries to the bizarre worm snails and the enigmatic nautiluses.
- Covers thousands of seashells from all the world’s oceans, including named variants as well as many species never figured in a general work and many only recently named
- Features a breathtaking array of stunning photos and up-to-date information on all groups
- Uses cutting-edge classification based on the latest published analyses
- Places similar species together for easier comparison
- Includes a comprehensive bibliography with references covering every marine mollusk group and world region
- Written by two of today’s leading malacologists
- An essential addition to any collector’s library
RECOMMENDATION: This book is a must-have for all seashell collectors!
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