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I had intended to regularly post about what I’m reading and reviewing, but I just noticed that I haven’t done so since last July. Where has the time gone? I guess that’s what happens when you have a newborn around. Convenient excuse? Yes. But the cutest, most adorable excuse I can imagine

Here’s what I’m currently reading and/or reviewing:

• The Breeding Bird Atlas of Georgia
  Todd M. Schneider, Giff Beaton, Timothy S. Keyes, and Nathan A. Klaus

  Finally, my home state has its own Breeding Bird Atlas. It was worth the wait. Anyone who birds extensively in Georgia should get a copy.

• Afield: Forty Years of Birding the American West
  Alan Contreras

  Part memoir, but mostly just good writing about birding.

• Birding the Great Lakes Seaway Trail

  A guide to birding spots found along the Great Lakes Seaway Trail, which runs along the shorelines of the Great Lakes in Pennsylvania and New York.

• Petrels Night and Day
  Magnus Robb, Killian Mullarney, and The Sound Approach

  A guide to the tubenoses of the Northeast Atlantic. All the reviews that I’ve read have been glowing in their praise for this book, and I can see why. It has a little of everything – cutting edge investigation of species limits, travelogue, identification plates, and, naturally, sounds.

I wish I could attend these two events, but alas, I will be at home, far away from either. But if you’re any closer, check them out!

First, Rick Wright announced that there will be a panel discussion on field guides at the Tucson Festival of Books on Saturday, March 13. Wright will be joined by well-known birder and author Jon Dunn, along with Elizabeth Rosenthal, the author of the Roger Tory Peterson biography Birdwatcher. More details are here.

Across the country, the American Museum of Natural History in New York is hosting an evening devoted to the recently released anthology of bird poetry, Bright Wings. Some poets will be there, of course, along with David Allen Sibley, whose paintings grace the book. The event will be at the museum on Wednesday, March 10 at 6:30 pm. More details.

You knew it was bound to happen. Earlier this month, The Sibley eGuide to the Birds of North America iPhone app was released.

I think the Sibley guide (the printed one) is the best North American field guide, and I am pleased to see that it is now available in a digital format. I will be posting a full review sometime soon, but in the meantime I’ve added a brief description and comparison to iBird in my iPhone Bird Guide Comparison.

Lots of great reviews lately:

I’ve finally created a Facebook page for The Birder’s Library. I’m still trying to figure out the best usage of it, so if anyone has something they’d like to see there, please let me know. Feel free to add a discussion, or comment on the Wall. You should be able to do that if you have a Facebook account and become a fan of the page. But everyone should be able to view it.

And please check out my status update to help decide what gets reviewed next.

The Birder’s Library is proud to team up with the 10,000 Birds Conservation Club to give away two great books – Falcons of North America and Prairie Spring: A Journey Into the Heart of a Season.

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  Falcons, by Kate Davis, is an overview of the biology and ecology of these charismatic birds, focusing on the six North American species. Accompanying the text is a ton of incredible photos, some of which are just unbelievable. Full Review

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  Prairie Spring is another great read from Pete Dunne. Dunne takes the reader along on a tour of the North American prairie in spring. Dunne is one of my favorite authors, and does not disappoint here. Full Review. Note: this is an advance reading copy paperback.

So how can you win them?

1. Be a member of the 10,000 Birds Conservation Club
2. Follow the instructions here

Membership in the Conservation Club costs $25 per year. Back in December, I wrote about the benefits of joining the Club. This is a great way for birders to do something to help birds in trouble. Plus, you get to enter great contests like this one! They’ve already given away over a dozen prizes, and have even more contests open right now. If you win just one contest, you’ll get your money’s worth. And even if not, you’ll be supporting a very innovative approach to help out worthy causes, namely the birds that we all love.

Here are some reviews that were posted back in December.