A Date With A Bird: A birdwatcher's life

Alan Vittery has had a remarkable life working as a diplomat around the world. At the same time he has been an active birder and has amassed a remarkable collection of stories and memories of both the places and the birds he has encountered (kudos too to Fraser Symonds for the wonderful cover art).

I met Alan in the 90's when he was based in Sutherland and was able to spend some time out birding with him. His remarkable ID skills led to some great finds (White's Thrush, Laughing Gull) in an area of the country with a distinct shortage of active birders. However, Alan's ability to find rarities has been questioned and actively scorned by others in the birding community. This book can be seen as controversial as it revisits some rarities that others would instantly dismiss. Crested Auklets at Brora would be a remarkable find and Alan's recollection and description make a good case but for many others, these sightings can never be certain, so are instantly dismissed.

The result is a book full of remarkable encounters but tinged with controversy and some sadness. I would suggest that most keen birders read the book and make your own mind up. At the very least it will incentivise you to go out and look for your own birds, who knows what is out there?