Birds New to Norfolk: The accounts of their discovery and identification

Norfolk is considered to be one of the best counties in England for birds, with reserves such as Titchwell and Cley drawing in huge numbers of birdwatchers. Much of the rest of the county is covered by keen birdwatchers looking for vagrants with the eternal hope of finding a first for the county, or even the country. Some are successful. This book does not restrict itself to just the rare and scarce species, however, but looks at each of the 428 species of birds on the Norfolk list, with records of their first mention or occurrence. For many records there are extracts of published accounts adding a personal feel to what could be a very dry book. For many of the more common species records, accounts go back a very long way and so, as well as an ornithological work, this is also an historical one.

Book reviewed by Su Gough