"Niagara Birds" Book Launch

It's here! The official book launch for John Black and Kayo Roy's book Niagara Birds will be held on Saturday October 16. Jean and I had a sneak peak at the amazing book before a day of birding for the Buffalo Ornithological Society (BOS) Fall Count this past weekend. Many talented photographers contributed images to the book that received a glowing review in a recent Buffalo News article.

Little did Jean and I know how seriously our birding would become after posting a report on Ontbirds in April of 2008. Shortly after posting a Fox Sparrow observation, Kayo contacted Jean and I by e-mail requesting that we contact him by phone. After a short conversation, Jean and I signed up as "testers" of the directions for the Hotspots and Day Trips in Niagara section of the book. We were just what Kayo and John were looking for. Jean and I were relatively new to birding and we had not yet discovered many of the hot spots in the region. Since then, we have assisted John and Kayo on Christmas Bird Counts, the MNR Duck Count and as of this year, the BOS counts held in April, May and October. There's no turning back now. We are fully-fledged, fanatical birders. Not to the extreme of Sandy Komito, Al Levantin or Greg Miller mind you but if there's a reported bird needed for the life list or even the year list that is within a reasonable commute, we are quick to react.

I would like to think that John and Kayo have contributed to our love of birding and there is no doubt that their book Niagara Birds will inspire more people to take up birding. I truly believe the book will win the awards predicted by Gerry Rising of the Buffalo News. Even if you do not live in the Niagara Region, this book will be a fine addition to your birding library.

We'll see you at the book launch but if you cannot make it, you can download an order form at the book's web site.