Birding enthusiasts can now get their copy of The Ultimate Companion for Birding in Southern Africa - the long-awaited follow-up by South African birding authors, Peter Ginn and Geoff McIlleron.
The duo have teamed up once again after their record success with The Complete Book of Southern African Birds to produce The Ultimate Companion for Birding in Southern Africa.
The new publication, a double-volume large format coffee table book set, features powerful full-colour images for all 960 species. These are complemented by varied commentary from 18 contributing authors who have relayed their personal observations from the field - so the book aims to offer birders action photography, as well as insights that it is claimed you won't find in any of the existing field guides.
"The Ultimate Companion was not intended as a bird identification book, but rather a book that you will read after observing birds in their habitats. It is designed to tell you what makes that bird 'tick'," Ginn explains. "We aimed to produce a book with the very best photographs of birds in our region that will be enjoyed by anyone with an interest in nature, but we also hope to inspire others to gain an interest in the enormous variety which we are privileged to enjoy."
Co-editor Geoff McIlleron had the tough task of carefully selecting 1,400 pictures from over 30,000 images, some of which were submitted by international photographers.
"To capture good bird photographs requires enthusiasm and patience, but a sound knowledge of birds and their environment is also important. These pictures present the splendour of our birdlife in detail and contribute to education and an expanding awareness of the natural world," says McIlleron.
The Ultimate Companion has been published by the financial services company, The Unlimited Child*. The business put its weight behind the project as it presented an opportunity to support their passion for early childhood development. All profits from The Ultimate Companion will go to shifting the lives of children in underprivileged crèches through the not-for-profit early childhood development initiative, The Unlimited Child.
Steph Bester, CEO of The Unlimited Child, explains: "This book aims to raise environmental awareness around our rich birding diversity whilst providing funding to educate underprivileged pre-school children. By purchasing the book, you can become actively involved in changing the future of our nation through education," Bester says.
The two-volume standard edition of The Ultimate Companion for Birding in Southern Africa is now available online at www.birdbook.co.za for R1476.30 (including VAT). This price includes a free e-book. A limited number of personalised collector's editions signed by the authors are also available.
*Established in 2008, The Unlimited Child is a proactive initiative that directly addresses the dire need for early childhood development in South Africa. The work being done by the organisation is based on studies that have proven that unless children under the age of seven years are exposed to the correct inputs such as learning colours and shapes through educational toys, their potential in life will be severely stunted. It is estimated that there are currently more than 6 million children aged 0 to 7 in South Africa, who have little or no exposure to early childhood development.
The Unlimited Child is tackling this problem by supplying toys specifically designed to develop cognitive and fine motor skills in preschool children, while simultaneously also training care-givers to ensure they know how to maximise the use of the toys.
