Anoraks to Zitting Cisticola: a whole lot of stuff about birdwatching.

Crows Nest: Allen and Unwin, 2007.
Octavo, paperback, 192 pp.

A limited number of SIGNED copies are available. Following the success of The big twitch, Sean Dooley presents a guide to the secret world of birdwatching from how to look cool in binoculars to how not to get stuck with a bird bore. He covers varied topics such as how to start your own bird list, what not to wear, whether birds have penises and lots more. Using an alphabetic template, it's an insight into the language, behaviour, haunts and habits of both birders and birds. Ranging far and wide, Sean covers birdwatching from the perspective of environmental issues, politics, literature, sociology and ornithology, all with a deft touch that both informs and entertains. So whether it's A for Anoraks, P for Parabolic Grot, S for Shakespeare (Romeo and Juliet contains the first argument over bird identification ever recorded) or G for Gonads, this A-Z is a must for the amateur, the wannabe or fanatical birdwatcher. And it's guaranteed to keep even the most casual bird nerd amused.