2 comments about Medieval Birds in the Sherborne Missal (Medieval Life in Manuscripts).

1. The Sherborne Missal gives a bird's-eye view of worship in 15th-century England. The beautifully illustrated and written manuscript was done for the Benedictine Abbey of Sherborne on the east coast of England, in Dorset. It gives the saints days, special intentions such as for the sick, and the words of the mass for each day.

   Birds decorate the pages. But there are only three places where it hits you in the face why a particular bird is shown on a particular page. The goldfinch, as a medieval Italian symbol for the crucified Christ, is shown with Epiphany, the robin with Sherborne Abbot Robert Brunyng, and the skylark soaring upwards into the skies with the Ascension.

   According to MEDIEVAL BIRDS IN THE SHERBORNE MISSAL, the artist must have owned or gotten easy hold of models or sketches. One known pattern book, from possibly around 1400, mainly showed initial letters, with only four leaves of bird studies. But Giovannino De' Grassi's late 14th-century sketchbook, now in the Biblioteca Civica in Bergamo, helped to spread the northern Italian style of drawing nature as it really was, without fantastic add-ons.

   Private collectors in France kept the Missal safe from 16th-century Reformation England, until calmer days at the end of the 18th century. Then the Missal ended up in the library of the dukes of Northumberland, at Alnwick Castle. In 1983 the 10th duke loaned the manuscript to the British Museum. With the death of the 11th duke the Sherborne Missal became, in 1998, additional ms 74326, as a permanent part of the British Library collection.

   It now is among the exhibits in the library galleries. But only two pages can be seen at any one time, and usually not of the birds. So Janet Backhouse's book is particularly valuable, as the first complete full-color publication under one roof of all the birds.

   The author has written many books on medieval manuscripts. But readers might particularly like THE LINDISFARNE GOSPELS and MEDIEVAL RURAL LIFE IN THE LUTTRELL PSALTER, for their similar themes on nature in the English Middle Ages.




2. If you are curious about bird illustrations before Audubon....this is a great example of what was done in the Medieval Manuscripts. Although small, it is packed with full page illustrations. It appears that the color representation are very close to the original works. I highly recommend this book to anyone intrested in medieval manuscripts as well as bird illustrations.

No comments about Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds: Volume 4: Parrots to Dollarbirds (Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds).

2 comments about Fledgling Days: Memoir of a Falconer.

1. it is an honestly written book that tells of the authors experiences-- her disappointments, her hopes and how she was introduced to falconry. it contains a variation of experiences, and there are more instances not related to falconry than expected.



2. I made the mistake of cracking this book's spine just before dinner & everyone wandering in, drooling to be fed, found me gone into the wilds of Kent in England where a young woman discovers her heart's desire in the form of falcons. I relished Emma Ford's memoirs of her early days with owls, falcons, eagles & a hilarious assortment of four legged friends & foes.

   The only child of divorced parents, Emma Ford labored to fulfill her mother's kind expectations of a proper profession for herself; eagerly taking on her school assignments the quicker to take off to the castle & continue her training in falconry. Sounds like something out of medieval times?

   Yes & no, this is one thoroughly modern young person who follows her heart & finds herself a player in medieval recreations, her eagles starring in films & dashing off to Arabia to hob knob with a sheik. All the while her sense of honor & dedication is developing even as a charming, self-possessed Heroine emerges. This is one fresh, focused young women who has garnered for herself & her beloved menagerie a unique & fascinating niche. A fabulous gift idea! Do check out my full review at [my website]

No comments about The Emergence of Ornithology as a Scientific Discipline: 1760-1850 (Studies in the History of Modern Science).

No comments about Where the Birds Are: A Guide to All 50 States and Canada.

1 comments about Munias and Mannikins.

1. This is a first class effort to arrange all the finches commonly known as Munias and Mannikins. The text is very well researched and the information contained is well written and easily understood. The crowning glory of this book is the paintings of all the known Munias and Mannikins, including the subspecies. The author has studied the majority of the described birds in their native habitiat and can, therefore speak with authority on some of the fascinating habits of these wonderful little birds. This book is worth the price, for the paintings and drawings alone. I feel certain that this fine book will become a classic reference for this group of finches for many years to come.

No comments about Macmillan Illustrated Encyclopedia of Birds: A Visual Who's Who in the World of Birds.

No comments about Life List: A Woman's Quest for the World's Most Amazing Birds.

1 comments about Birding Western Massachusetts: A Habitat Guide to 26 Great Birding Sites from the Berkshires to the Quabbin.

1. I now have some new local places to go to do birdning and photography. I am already planing spring/summer visits to the Quabbin resevoir area. A good reference guide with enough information to get you to the areas and hopefully find birds you are looking for.

1 comments about A Photographic Guide to Birds of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore.

1. An excellent book in terms of the text and photographic material, this book is small in size and makes it easy to carry around in the field. The text is written in simple English, making the information both precise and concise.Technical terms are kept to the minimum, making it user friendly for both beginners and experienced ornithologists. The description of the identificatory features are brief,focusing only on the important field characteristics. The bird calls and songs are also described fairly accurately, judging from my own personal experience as an experienced amateur field ornithologist here in Peninsular Malaysia. This book compliments the existing field guides in the region. The photographs are excellent in terms of quality and certainly help in the identification of birds since photographs show colour and jizz of the bird accurately, which in some cases may be difficult with line drawings and paintings. It is indeed comendable to note that the majority of the photographs were taken under natural conditions in the wild as the surrounding habitat is also shown. Though some of the birds were photographed in captivity (e.g. the hornbills,partridges and some pheasants), this still serves its purpose for accurate identification. It is a very handy book to have for visiting birdwatchers to Malaysia and Singapore who will find the descriptions and the photographs good. Some of your identification problems may be solved instantly.