Paul Sterry – författare

Collins Life-Size Birds is a photographic celebration of Britain and northern Europe’s richly varied birdlife. The photographs are gloriously detailed, appealing to both beginners and experienced birdwatchers. For decades, bird photography has been used to capture and create images of these photogenic subjects. Recent advances in technology mean that digital imaging has come of age and, as a result, contemporary photographs of birds can reveal as much detail as can be seen with the naked eye and the bird in the hand. This has allowed the creation of a book that depicts birds in intricate detail at life size, as well as larger than life in the case of many smaller species.The book is unique because for every species entry at least one image shows the bird in question, or the head and bill in the case of large species, depicted life size. The photographs used throughout the book have been chosen carefully to show not only important identification features but also to depict a bird’s typical posture, be that perched, standing, swimming or in flight. As many plumage variations as possible have been included. Annotations highlight key identification features that are discussed in the text.For each species the main text contains descriptions of plumage and structural features that are useful for identification, plus further information about habits and behaviour. In addition, a ‘fact file’ section covers key details for each species: Common name; Scientific name; Length (an average, measured from bill tip to the end of the tail; Wingspan (an average, measured from wingtip to wingtip); Habitat (or habitats, if these differ seasonally); Food; Status; and Voice.

The only guide currently available for the region, Complete Mediterranean Wildlife describes and illustrates 1500 species commonly found in the world’s most popular holiday destination.Mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, butterflies and moths, other insects, spiders, slugs and snails, trees and flowering plants are all included, and each section is coded with a symbol for quick reference.From Cyprus in the east to the western end of the Mediterranean, the guide also covers species found in Portugal and the Algarve. While most Mediterranean habitats are low-lying, the range of the guide extends into the foothills of mountains. Shells and animals likely to be seen while snorkelling are also described and illustrated.

Collins Complete Guide to British Muchrooms and Toadstools allows everyone to identify mushrooms found in Britain and Ireland. The book is illustrated with beautiful photographs throughout, featuring the species you are most likely to see.By only covering Britain and Ireland, fewer species are included than in many broader European guides, making it quicker and easier for the reader to accurately identify what they have found.Extensive details on size, shape and colour are given and over 1,500 photographs help you identify each species.This is the essential photographic guide to the mushrooms and toadstools of Britain and Ireland.

A comprehensive and heavily illustrated guide to every species of British wildlife, this book is the definitive photographic reference guide for nature enthusiasts.Collins Complete Guide to British Wildlife allows everyone to identify the wildlife found in Britain and Ireland. The book is illustrated with beautiful photographs throughout, featuring the mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates you are most likely to see, as well as all the common plants.By only covering Britain and Ireland, fewer species are included than in many broader European guides, making it quicker and easier for the reader to accurately identify what they have found.This is the essential photographic guide to the wildlife of Britain and Ireland.

A complete photoguide to all the wild flowers of Britain to accompany the bestselling Complete British WIldlife.With over 1,000 main entries covering wildflowers, shrubs, aquatic plants, grasses, sedges and rushes Collins Complete Guide to British Wild Flowers is a definitive photographic reference guide for flower enthusiasts.Helpful information about habitats of wild flowers and useful tips to aid identification are included along with a botanical hotspots section detailing 100 rarer species. Comparison pages show different leaf shapes and flower clusters to enable quick and easy navigation to the right section of the book to make your identification. Detailed information on which places to visit in Britain particularly rich in flower species are also included, along with individual maps showing where each species can be found.This is the essential photographic field guide of the best wild flowers Britain has to offer.

An essential guide to every species of tree found in the British Isles outside of arboretumsThis easy-to-use guide covers the 360 species of tree that are found in Britain & Ireland. Each species is covered in detail with information on how to identify, whether from a leaf, twig, bark or whole tree, plus extra information on where the tree grows (including a map), how high they grow, what uses the tree is used for and its unique history.Every species is also comprehensively illustrated with photographs of every useful feature – bark, leaf, seed, flower, twig and whole tree.Sample identification section:Silver Birch Betula pendula (Betulaceae) height to 26mA slender, fast-growing deciduous tree with a narrow, tapering crown when young and growing vigorously. Older trees acquire a weeping habit, especially if growing in an open, uncrowded situation.

A complete photoguide to all the birds of Britain from the best nature publisher in the UKCollins Complete Guide to British Birds makes bird identification easier than ever before. It is the most complete photographic guide to British birds ever published and the only one to be designed to give everything that you need on each spread in a simple-to-use format. Every text entry covers identification of adults and juveniles, songs and calls, and where they are most likely to be found.Illustrated with specially commissioned photography and maps to show where in Britain the birds are found and at what time of year, this accessible guide also features cross-references to similar-looking species, containing everything a birdwatcher needs to know in one, easy-to-use, portable volume. It is the perfect photographic field guide for the birdwatching beginner.

The essential photographic guide to Ireland's wildlife.Collins Complete Irish Wildlife describes almost all the mammals, birds, fish and butterflies of Ireland likely to be encountered by the keen amateur naturalist, as well as all the common and widespread flowers, trees and shrubs. With over 1,000 colour photographs, this comprehensive guide illustrates every species described. The introduction by Ireland's best known wildlife expert, Derek Mooney, sets out where you can find the best of Irish wildlife.Reptiles and amphibians, insects and spiders, molluscs and other invertebrates are also featured, and species are organised taxonomically. Each section is coded with a symbol for quick reference and species are grouped according to natural relationships and similarities. Collins Complete Irish Wildlife is a book no nature lover should travel without.

Discover over 1,200 species of animals and plants found in the coastal regions of Britain and make the most of your surroundings, whether you are on a holiday browse or serious quest. This is the definitive photographic reference guide for nature enthusiasts.This informative photographic guide will help nature enthusiasts visiting the seashore to discover and quickly and accurately identify the animals and plants commonly found in the coastal areas of Britain.The book is illustrated with beautiful photographs throughout, the perfect seashore companion for ‘staycation’ travelling nature enthusiasts as well as general natural history buffs. Young and old alike keen to discover the wildlife of Britain's coastal areas will delight in this beautifully practical guide.

In a unique new collaboration, Collins have paired up with the respected British Trust for Ornithology, bringing together the most authoritative and up-to-date information in this new field guide to the common birds of Britain and Ireland.This unique new identification guide features all of the birds that have occurred five or more times in Britain and Ireland, including all species that breed regularly in the region, plus those that winter here, or occur as common passage migrants.The book has been written and illustrated as much with the beginner in mind as the experienced birdwatcher. Designed to be used in the field, the text and photographs describe and illustrate the key features needed to identify a species with confidence, and to separate it from similar, or ‘confusion’, species. As a general rule, the species accounts follow the taxonomic running order provided by the British Ornithologist’s Union (BOU). But for the benefit of the reader, in some instances the running order has been juggled subtly so that potentially confusing species are placed side by side. Throughout the book there are special pages that describe the key features needed for separating different families, and groups of birds that share the same habitat.More than 1,200 photographs are featured and many are seen here for the first time. They have been chosen carefully to show not only important identification features but also to give clues to the usual habitat favoured by the bird, and its typical posture.Annotations highlight key identification features that are discussed in the text. Song and call are useful aids to identification, and reference is made to vocalisation for each species. The average size of each bird is included; in most species this is the length, measured from the tip of the bill to the tip of the tail, but in birds that are seen most frequently in flight (such as raptors), the given measurement is wingspan.Relative abundance maps are shown for every species. The darker shading shows where a species is most abundant, and the lighter shades where it is less so. These are based on the very latest information contained within the BTO’s Bird Atlas 2007–11.

A comprehensive and fully illustrated guide, this book is the definitive photographic reference guide for anyone interested in butterflies and moths found in Britain and Ireland.Every species that occurs regularly in Britain and Ireland is included, along with a section dealing with the ‘rarest of the rare’ – extinct species or very rare immigrants. There follows the main section of the book, which covers our larger moths; every species that occurs regularly in Britain and Ireland is mentioned.

Combining practical birdwatching tips, the insights of internationally renowned ornithologists and the science, nature, art and history of birds, The Collins Garden Birdwatcher’s Bible is a glorious celebration of the stunning world of birds.Brimming with lavish photographs, The Collins Garden Birdwatcher’s Bible offers handy tips on identifying and attracting British garden birds, as well as discovering more about the evolution, history and art of birds of the world. With detailed visual profiles of the key birds of the region, readers will learn how to identify birds by their colours, calls and behaviour, the best equipment and resources to use, as well as learning to create bird-friendly gardens and bird houses, choosing the ideal food for bird types by season and how we can become better bird advocates. Full of stunning illustrations and packed with practical advice and hands-on projects, The Collins Garden Birdwatcher’s Bible is the ultimate guide for budding birdwatchers, eager ornithologists, nature-lovers, gardeners, botanists and anyone seeking to learn more about these majestic creatures that rule the skies.CONTENTS:THE HISTORY OF BIRDS • PRACTICAL BIRDWATCHING &IDENTIFICATION • UNDERSTANDING & ATTRACTING BIRDS •BIRD-FRIENDLY GARDENS & BIRD-INSPIRED ART

Combining informative and accessible text, up-to-date maps, and--above all--stunning color photographs, this is the best and most lavishly illustrated photographic guide to the birds of eastern North America. All of the images have been carefully selected to convey both the sheer beauty and the key identification features of each bird, and many of the photos are larger than those found in other guides. Wherever possible, a variety of plumages are pictured, providing visual coverage and usefulness matching any artwork-illustrated field guide. And many of the images are state-of-the-art digital photographs by Brian Small, one of North America's finest bird photographers. These pictures, many seen here for the first time, reproduce a previously unimaginable level of detail. Finally, the ranges of nearly all species are shown on maps from the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, the authority on North American birding. New and experienced birders alike will find this guide indispensable: the clear layout will help novices easily identify the birds they see, while the superb photographs will help seasoned birders confirm identifications.* The best, most lavishly illustrated photographic guide to the region's birds * Larger color photos than most other field guides * Fresh contemporary design--clear, easy-to-use, and attractive * Informative, accessible, and authoritative text * Range maps from the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology * Covers entire eastern half of mainland North America and the arctic and subarctic territorial islands of the U.S. and Canada

Combining informative and accessible text, up-to-date maps, and--above all--stunning color photographs, this is the best and most lavishly illustrated photographic guide to the birds of western North America. All of the images have been carefully selected to convey both the sheer beauty and the key identification features of each bird, and many of the photos are larger than those found in other guides. Wherever possible, a variety of plumages are pictured, providing visual coverage and usefulness matching any artwork-illustrated field guide. And many of the images are state-of-the-art digital photographs by Brian Small, one of North America's finest bird photographers. These pictures, many seen here for the first time, reproduce a previously unimaginable level of detail. Finally, the ranges of nearly all species are shown on maps from the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, the authority on North American birding. New and experienced birders alike will find this guide indispensable: the clear layout will help novices easily identify the birds they see, while the superb photographs will help seasoned birders confirm identifications.* The best, most lavishly illustrated photographic guide to the region's birds * Larger color photos than most other field guides * Fresh contemporary design--clear, easy-to-use, and attractive * Informative, accessible, and authoritative text * Range maps from the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology * Covers entire western half of mainland North America (excluding Mexico) and the arctic and subarctic territorial islands of the U.S. and Canada (excluding Hawaii)

A richly illustrated guide to the wildflowers and other flora of coastal Britain, Ireland and Northwest EuropeThe rugged and beautiful coastal regions of Britain and Ireland are among the crowning glories of these islands. Few visitors can fail to marvel at the stunning sight of Cornwall’s clifftops resplendent with flowering Thrift, or be struck by the resilience of plants that thrive on the inhospitable shingle beaches of Dungeness on the coast of Kent. This field guide covers more than 600 species of wildflowers and other coastal flora found in Britain and Ireland, and coastal mainland Northwest Europe. Detailed species accounts describe wildflowers, grasses, sedges and rushes that occur on the coast or in abundance within sight of the sea. Stunningly illustrated throughout, this comprehensive, user-friendly guide also covers trees and shrubs, a range of other groups from mosses and seaweeds, and more broadly, the natural history of coastal habitats.Covers more than 600 species of flowering plantsFeatures over 1,500 spectacular colour photosDescribes other groups such as ferns, mosses, liverworts, lichens, fungi and seaweedsProvides up-to-date colour distribution maps for Britain and Ireland

A personal account of—and guide to—unlocking the wildlife potential of gardens and other plots of land in lowland BritainOver the past decade, wildlife author and photographer Paul Sterry has nurtured, both through action and by doing nothing, what has become a small island of flourishing biodiversity in the half-acre garden that surrounds his north Hampshire cottage. By giving nature a free hand, and fostering habitats appropriate to this part of southeast England, he has enabled an abundance of native plant and animal species to call the garden home. This contrasts with the continued decline in biodiversity in the surrounding countryside. In this inspiring and informative book, Sterry tells the story of his own experiences in biodiversity gardening and offers detailed practical advice to anyone who wants to give nature the upper hand on their own bit of land, no matter how small.Hampshire still retains traces of its rich wildlife heritage, but changes in land use over the past half-century have had a devastating impact on local biodiversity. Against this backdrop, The Biodiversity Gardener presents a habitat-driven and evidence-based approach, describing how any gardener can unlock the wildlife potential of their plot and enjoy the satisfaction of watching it become home to a rich array of native species, including butterflies, wildflowers, grasshoppers, amphibians, and fungi.In The Biodiversity Gardener, Sterry explains the ecological imperative of adopting this approach. Collectively, biodiversity gardens could leave a lasting legacy—wildlife oases from which future generations stand a fighting chance of restoring Britain’s natural heritage. The book encourages and empowers readers to create their own biological inheritance for posterity—and shows them how they can do it.

Covering all the species of birds occurring in the areas bordering the Mediterranean, this guide is illustrated throughout with stunning photographs. The regions examined cover some of the most distinctive and birdrich habitats in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, places as popular with sun-seeking holidaymakers as they are with birders.Designed to appeal to both audiences, the guide features photographs of the region's birdlife, with concise descriptive text on facing pages.Digital manipulation of the photographs has been used to ensure a consistent depiction of light conditions, making comparisons between the images easier.

An up-to-date guide exploring the rich variety of avifauna in the Mediterranean.From dramatic cliffs and sparkling coastlines to wooded mountains and open scrub, the Mediterranean boasts a diverse range of habitats that are rich with birdlife. Whether searching for birds of prey like Lammergeier and Elenora’s Falcon, or iconic passerines such as Masked Shrike and Sardinian Warbler, the Mediterranean is a dream destination for birdwatchers.Now in its second edition, this exquisite photographic guide provides full coverage of every species occurring in the region. Fully updated throughout, concise species accounts cover identification, similar species, voice, habitats and behaviour, status and distribution, along with revised maps and new photographs throughout.Illustrated with more than 1,000 photographs, Birds of the Mediterranean is an essential companion for any birder or naturalist visiting this popular region.