A Sparrowhak’s Lament by David Cobham

Published by Princetown Price £24.95

ISBN: 9780691157641 Hard back 272 pages printed in2014

Another older book but a very good read about 15 birds of prey breeding in Britain with accounts from raptor enthusiasts from around the country. The author spent a great deal of time as a camera man often filming some of these species gaining inside information on how the birds reacted at the nest site and if he need extra information he contacted professionals and amateurs around the country for advice as well as visiting breeding areas to gain information. Common names pop up like Roy Dennis and Roger Clarke along with many more experts in their fields. The art work is by Bruce Pearson and really does add the action of the birds in each chapter. This is a great book to get to know a species and its history with recent estimates of numbers for each breeding species. I really enjoyed reading the book but would have liked to see more on the threats to each species.