The birds of Essex - Simon Wood

The County Avifaunas are a growing series giving full details of thestatus and range of every species recorded in the county in question.Each title covers all species on the county list,with a detailed breakdown of rarity records, and each has introductorysections describing the county's general ecology, climate, weatherpatterns, its ornithological history and conservation record.
Essex is of national and international importance to many migrating and wintering wildfowl and waders,which can be found on the estuaries. Further inland, the Lea Valleyharbours important populations of several species within the complex ofreservoirs and gravel-pits. Elsewhere, the diverse habits of woodlandand parkland, heaths and commons, agricultural land and urban areasmean that at all times of year there is the opportunity to see upwards of 100 species in a daywith little effort. This book analyses and summarises all the datacollated and documented over the last 200 years and includes availablerecords to the end of 2004. Introductory chapters discuss the geologyand habitats of Essex and the amazing fossil bird record. Theindividual accounts provide an up-to-date status of each species andpatterns of occurrence within Essex. A distribution map is included formost breeding species. A breakdown and analysis are provided for allcounty rarities. Superb line drawings and photographs illustrate the book,all by talented local artists and photographers. This book is anessential reference for anybody who has watched birds in this amazingcounty.