Bird Porn!

I got sent Richard Crossley's ID Guide today and I must say, believe the hype! The plates are incredible. I first came across Richard in a recent Birding World issue talking about the process that he went through to produce this book. It was a double page spread of text in which he talked about taking zillions of pictures and how he wanted to produce a radical photographic bird guide. I turned the page and gasped. For me it was a spitting out your cornflakes moment because in front of me were two amazing plates. The one I clearly remember was the Black Scotor plate. It was so surreal and beautiful. I gazed at it for ages. It was so full of life.

I can imagine some of the birding aficionados absolutely hating this book and its approach. But I bet that there will be a load more people that will absolutely love it, especially people new to birding - the main part of the book's target audience. It's more like a superbly illustrated book on bird jizz that will be left on the coffee table to be marvelled at. For me some of the plates were good enough to stick on the wall in a frame as a work of art.

I haven't read it yet as I can't get over the plates but when I do I'll be writing a review in Bird Watching Magazine in the near future. In the meantime, I salute Richard Crossley's bravery. I think it's a brilliant, innovative idea and everyone should get a copy.