How To Watch A Bird (2Nd Ed)

Description

As prize-winning journalist Steve Braunias stands on an apartment balcony on a sultry summer evening, a black-backed gull flies so close he is instantaneously bowled over with happiness: 'I thought: Birds, everywhere. I wanted to know more about them.' This book is the result - a wondrous personal journey into the amazing world of birds, and the people ensnared, captivated and entranced by them: the passionate tribe of bird-watchers and twitchers.

Steve Braunias is a staff writer for Metro magazine, has won nearly 40 national writing awards and fellowships to Oxford University and Cambridge University. He is also editor-in-residence at Waikato Institute of Technology's school of journalism and writes a much-followed weekly satirical diary for The Sunday Star-Times. His other books include Civilisation, Roosters I Have Known, Smoking in Antarctica and Fish of the Week.

'Braunias has touchingly brought love and bird-watching together in a book that stalks sewage ponds and grey warblers with curiosity and affection, and ends with contentment, bliss and a baby born. A lovely book, a Christmas book' New Zealand Listener: Best books of the year 'Braunias's wit and charm are put to work to explain in easy non-scientific ways why looking at the commonest birds can be such a pleasure' The Dominion Post: Best non-fiction of the year 'How to Watch a Bird should be on the shelf in every kiwi bach' Lindsey Dawson, Plenty ''armly readable account of a year spent ... in "birdland"' Jan Chilwell, NZ House & Garden 'For those who think they know Steve Braunias from his columns, it's a revelation ... to see him writing so earnestly and tenderly' John McCrystal, Herald on Sunday 'The birds come to life with the author's near-evangelical prose' Hawke's Bay Today