Heavy weight Volume

With the winds of the last few day the leaves that had been clinging on to their summer residence have suddenly begun to fall rapidly to the ground below, and then with the prevailing winds, into large heads against the back of the house.

This large Acer was still pretty well clothed last week, but now the majority are down. All I need is a nice rare warbler in it, now that it would be visible.

At this time the Ash out side my study sheds more than leaves, large twigs and even small, branches break off in to wind and litter the ground. Simon and Sam are visiting so I'm sure Sam will help with picking up the leaves! I was contemplating the clear up job when a large parcel arrived.

Volume 14 of the Handbook of Birds of the World, just two to go. 4.331 Kg of book, 893 pages, 17 Families, 120 Genera, 468 Species and 1176 Taxa. The largest family included is the Crows with 123 species. Many of these are the duller black birds that I've a habit of showing on here, but there are some dramatic looking Jays.

This photo of a Crested Jay was taken by Pete Morris, one of several photos he's got in this volume. It was taken on the Durango Road in Western Mexico. I was lucky enough to see them on a trip Pete led for Birdquest in March 2002. There are a lot of species of Jays in the southern part of the USA and Mexico, I think that this must be the area that they first evolved from as there is such a diversity.