The Crossley Id Guide Britain & Ireland follows the unique and beloved format of other Crossley ID guides with this one of course covering birds found in Great Britain and Ireland. Most of the text is written by nature writer Dominic Couzens but is a bit overshadowed by the dizzying array of birds to be found on each page. But this is the draw: the species are depicted in different positions from perched to flying, and in different plumages when applicable.
Also, on some species, other common birds that associated together are shown, all at varying distances and with some variances of lighting. I did find a few superimposed photos that looked a bit “off”, maybe with the lighting angle or the quality of the photo, but these were rare. Some species had some interesting backgrounds, most comical was a “lurking” woman found on the Robin page.
Random page from The Crossley ID Guide Britain & Ireland
I have been reading a lot of natural history books from this part of the world, so The Crossley ID Guide Britain & Ireland has been especially interesting to browse when I read an unfamiliar species (most of them are). I keep finding myself getting “lost” in the pages but in a good way. This and other Crossley ID Guides are not meant to be used in the field, but instead to be immersed in. You really need to soak up the content and I believe it helps get a better understanding of what to look for while in the field.
As Richard Crossley says, “In many ways The Crossley ID Guides are a halfway house between traditional field guides and being in the field.” I find it the perfect guide to browse while sitting on the porch while the kids play outside.
Check out our reviews for The Crossley ID Guide Raptors and The Crossley ID Guide Eastern Birds.
Disclaimer: We received a free copy of this book from the publisher to review on birdfreak.com. Links to Powell’s Books affiliate
