Collins Bird Guide

Picking up this smart‐looking book was a genuine thrill. After all, birders had been waiting for it for nearly 20 years! Three of the authors had the idea for the “perfect field guide” during a meeting in Sweden in August 1982. One of them, Peter Grant, sadly did not live to see the end result. So, what are the first impressions? A hardback with a dustwrapper was a disappointment: I would prefer a really stout, waterproof soft cover for a book intended to be used in the field in all weathers. But the binding is strong and this book will...