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For each of the last three years, we’ve been treated to a Pete Dunne book exploring a particular season. I’ve really enjoyed the series and was greatly anticipating the finale this year. But then came the bad news: it’s not going to be published. (Queue the cheesy Darth Vader “Noooooooooo!”) As disappointing as that was, though, we will still get two new books from Dunne this year.

The Art of Bird Identification: A Straightforward Approach to Putting a Name to the Bird
by Pete Dunne

From Stackpole Books:

• How to get good, then better, then even better at identifying birds in the field-and have fun doing it
• A straightforward approach from Pete Dunne, one of the country’s top birders and birding instructors, written in his distinctive style
• Includes descriptive information for 75 bird groups to help get the ID process off on the right foot
• Practical, expert advice and entertaining in-the-field examples of birding successes and common mistakes

This book is targeted at beginning birders. I’m still reading it, but it’s shaping up to be a must-have resource for those just starting out.

Hawks in Flight: Second Edition
by Pete Dunne, David Sibley, and Clay Sutton

Also from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt:

Among the world’s most popular birds, hawks can be some of the most difficult birds to identify. They’re most often seen flying high above and at a distance.

In the first edition of Hawks in Flight, Pete Dunne, David Sibley, and Clay Sutton presented a holistic method of hawk identification, using general body shape, the way they move, and the places they are most likely to be seen.

The new edition of the book that Roger Tory Peterson called a “landmark” integrates an array of carefully selected photographs, David Sibley’s superb illustrations, and a clear, information-packed text and takes raptor identification to a higher level. This edition covers all of the raptors that breed in North America, including those with limited ranges in Florida, the Southwest, and Texas.

Picking up where its predecessor ended by including two decades of raptor identification refinement, Hawks in Flight summarizes and places in users’ hands an identification skill set that used to take years to master. The unique alchemy of Dunne, Sibley, and Sutton—including their collective experience of more than one hundred years watching hawks—make this book a singular achievement and a must-have for anyone interested in hawks.

11 new species (now covers all the birds of prey with established populations in the U.S. and Canada), drawings from David Sibley, and now-in-color photographs make this new edition a worthwhile upgrade.

The Art of Bird Identification: A Straightforward Approach to Putting a Name to the Bird
by Pete Dunne
Paperback; 144 pages
Stackpole Books; September 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0811731966
$16.95

Hawks in Flight: Second Edition
by Pete Dunne, David Sibley, and Clay Sutton
Hardcover; 345 pages
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; September 18, 2012
ISBN: 978-0395709597
$26.00

Here are a few reviews from August.

Save the Last Dance: A Story of North American Grassland Grouse
by Noppadol Paothong and Joel M. Vance

Noppadol Paothong’s article in the April 2012 issue of BirdWatching magazine on finding the five species of grassland grouse would stand out to any reader on the basis of his photographs alone. But even more than these remarkable images, a small blurb of text caught my eye. It said that Paothong was working on a book titled Save the Last Dance: A Story of North American Grassland Grouse. A quick Google search revealed the book’s website. After perusing the site, it became obvious that this would be one of my most anticipated books of the year. After looking through and reading the book for just a day, it has already exceeded even my wildest expectations. I plan on posting a full review, but for right now I’ll just let the book speak for itself.

The Mating Lives of Birds
by James Parry

From The MIT Press:

Birdsong may seem to us to be the purest expression of joy, but in fact when a male bird bursts into melodious song, he is warning off other males and advertising his availability to females. He may also engage in spectacular displays of plumage, dance-like movements, or even acrobatics (tree-based or aerial)–all as part of courtship. The female, meanwhile, assesses his vocalization, plumage, and territory before accepting him as a mate. The Mating Lives of Birds offers an engaging and lavishly illustrated account of this most captivating phenomenon in the natural world: bird courtship and display. It explains how birds’ reproduction strategies have evolved, and describes bird monogamy, polygamy, polyandry, promiscuity, and communal living arrangements. It shows us dancing cranes, somersaulting hummingbirds, drumming ducks, and the outrageously extravagant plumage of birds of paradise. It describes group territorial displays, jousting males, and phalarope role reversal (with the female sporting brighter plumage)–not to mention elaborate nest decoration and the presentation of food offerings. The book’s fascinating account of the mating behavior of bird species from around the world is illustrated by 140 vividly detailed color images. Birdwatchers will find The Mating Lives of Birds to be an essential addition to their libraries.

From courtship to fledging, this book takes a look at arguably the most important period in birds’ lives.

The Mating Lives of Birds
by James Parry
Hardcover; 160 pages
The MIT Press; August 3, 2012
ISBN 13: 978-0262018319
$29.95

Not too many reviews last month. Not that I have room to talk, I need to get cranking on my reviews.

I’ve updated the Comparison of Bird Listing Apps for the iPhone page to include two more apps – BirdsEye BirdLog and Lifebirds Journal. If you’re still looking for a list-keeping app for your iDevice, then check it out.