Eastern Birds [antikvár]

foreword There are miUioris of bird watching enthusiasts in America today who enjoy an unprecedented choice of fine references to help them identify obscure species of birds, including comprehensive field guides, detailed regional or state guides, and sophisticated monographs describing particular groups of birds. Surprisingly, though, there are few guides suitable for the novice or casual birdwatcher. Whether you have been feeding birds in your backyard for years or are strictly a vacation birdwatcher, or whether you have accompanied your spouse or an enthusiastic friend on numerous birdwatching expeditions but haven't yet summoned the courage to venture out on your own. Eastern Birds and its companion volume to foUow, Western Birds, are the perfect guides for you. I believe that no other books currently available can offer as much information in an easy-to-use format while not overwhelming the reader with too many birds and too much detail. It is a tricky affair—writing an abridged guide. Within the limited space available in each volume, I have tried to include enough species and pliraiages so that an enterprising beginner wiU not be confused and frustrated by finding birds that are not in the book. Yet I was determined not to clutter up the pages with exotic rarities that most of us will probably never see. I am sure that there have been some omissions and some inconsistencies. But I hope that the choices I have made work for you. I want to express my gratitude to the many authors, artists, ornithologists, and photographers whose work I consulted during the years that I worked on this project. I am most indebted to Guy Tudor, whose advice and keen eye improved the plates immeasurably and who also helped me organize the guides and offered much constructive criticism of the text, and to Paul Lehman, who drew upon his vast expertise and field experience to compile the maps and review the text and artwork for accuracy. My thanks to my agent, Harold Roth, editors Maury Solomon and Caroline Greenberg, and art director Remo Cosentino for their wisdom, patience, and faith that I would someday finish the project. Additional thanks to my publishers for their indulgence and supreme patience, to my brother, David Coe, for his help with the first drafts, and to my parents, Sylvia and Jacques, without whom I never could have become a bird artist and field guide author. Finally, thanks to my wife, Karen, whose love and support keep me going every day, and to Jonah, who inspires me as he discovers the world for himself. J. C