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Finnaly got roberts multimedia

Hi all. I have used Sasol 3rd Edition happily for many years. I also have the small Sasol photographic guide I use on hikes etc.

My SO has decided she wants to buy a field guide (yay!). My question to you is, which do you think would better, to buy another Sasol, or to buy a different one (Roberts, Newman's etc)? I'm worried that if she buys a different one, it will become confusing because of different layout/order of birds, and that we'll spend more time deciding which book to use for identification than looking at a bird or trying to identify it. Do any of you take more than one field guide on your trips?

Joshilewis, we take 3 books but mostly only use 2, use Sasol as a quick referance and use it most of the time, seems to be easier to ID the birds and then Roberts if we want more detail or are battleing to ID it in Sasol, the photografic books are nice as some of the sketches are a bit difficult to ID with as the colours sometimes vary a bit.

Sasol and Roberts can be used together with great success.

We actually grab Sasol first, then if need be the Roberts, and if really need be, or we want more info, we hit the Roberts VII. (And gain some muscle while doing it.)
The last bit is not in the field though, I wonder why....

Truth be told, SO was so excited to buy the book she wouldn't wait for me to ask this question She bought the Roberts on Sunday. I'm glad to hear that a lot of people choose to use both. My concern now is that if most people turn to the Sasol first, does it make sense for her to turn to her Roberts first?

After buying the book, we started ticking the birds she's seen and got to about 106. This in about 9 months of birding, including African Finfoot and Grey-headed Kingfisher

:thumbs_up:

Bird watching books for South Africa, could someone give me a suggestions we are visiting Capetown and garden route feb - march 2012,
cheers greenwoodpecker

Hi There

There is a whole a range of books available for birds in Southern Africa, so choosing one might be difficult.

If you are going to be stationed around the Western Cape alone, I wouldn't think that having to buy various field guides is necesarry, so I would maybe suggest getting a photographic field guide such as the "Complete Photographic Field Guide: Birds of Southern Africa"

It is the one book I always keep with me when I go out birding, and I was in the Garden Route a month ago, so I used it quite regularly.

You should be able to still pick them up at any good book retailer, but if you can also visit this link

http://www.randomstruik.co.za/title-page.php?titleID=3117&imprintID=2

I know there are also some Western Cape bird books available, but don't know how easily they are available.

The South African Birdfinder is an excellent book describing some lovely birding areas, especially for the area you are going to visit.

http://www.randomstruik.co.za/title-pag ... mprintID=0

There is also a shorter version of this book which just covers the Western Cape specific.

http://www.capebirdingroute.org/About_Us_Our_Books.htm

I also wrote quite a few helpful articles on birding along the Garden Route. If you are interested in it give me a shout and I will gladly point you to where you will be able to find it.

Hey everyone. this one is for the birder mites.

Which is a better purchase the Newman's bird book or the Sasol book?

Im not really a fanatical birder just want the book for reference sake when in the kruger.

Thanks

IMHO, if you are only going to buy one book for reference, Sasol. If you become a more serious birder, you will want to buy them all, Sasol, Newman, Roberts, Oberprieler and Ciliers. You will then also buy specialist books on eg, Raptors, LBJs, Confusing Birds, Endemics, Nests and eggs, books on Kruger birds only etc.

Hi K-4S
Have a read Here for some great info and advice.
Enjoy!

I second Rooies' comment. I have 3 books - SASOL, Newmans & Sinclair. But I personally find SASOL to address my needs (as a rather novice) the best.

Another very handy pocket guide for us novices, is the Pocket Guide to Birds of Southern Africa by Burger Cillié and Ulrich Oberprieler, which is really pocket size which we find very handy while travelling through the Parks. It contains pictures of the birds, not drawings, which we prefer.

We do have many other bird guides, (including Roberts' Multimedia), big and smaller, pictures and drawings, and still struggle to identify them.

Hi everyone.

Can anyone tell me where i can find Roberts Birds of the Kruger. I have looked online and Kalahari have it as available but once i ordered and paid for it i recieved a message that they had credited my account as the product is unavailable

If you know please help me out.

Thanks