Stackpole Books

Bookwatch, The, April, 2005

Stackpole Books

5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-6921

www.stackpolebooks.com

There are plenty of quite good field guides which include dragonflies as a part of their coverage; but very few offers the lay reader a basic primer alone, as does Cynthia Berger in Wild Guide: Dragonflies (0811-729719, $19.95). An expert in her field, Cynthia Berger has written for many wildlife and outdoor magazines, as well as having contributed to radio programs, and having good knowledge of birds and wildlife. With its many color photos, natural history discussions, and descriptions, Wild Guide: Dragonflies is an appealing primer. Equally important is Lang Elliott's two-volume set, Know Your Bird Sounds (081172963X and 0811729648, $19.95 each), deserving ongoing recommendation as a powerful audio cd/book package providing a powerful synthesis of color photos, natural history and bird sounds. Volume 1 covers Songs And Calls Of Yard, Garden And City Birds, featuring sparrows, crows, woodpeckers, wrens and many more. Volume 2 covers Birds Of The Countryside. Each bird receives a full-color photo, natural history description, and written description. The field recordings offers not just one call but a variety of songs and calls for each bird, with explanations of how the song/call is used. Invaluable, easily used gems, both.