No Finish Line - a fascinating new book on birding ( and more)

Hot off the presses is this excellent book that all birders will enjoy devouring. It is the biography of Dr. Bernard Master, renowned world birder, conservationist, physician, and businessman. In the interest of full disclosure, Bernie is a good friend, but that relationship would not, I believe, cloud my opinion of his first foray into the literary world.

I've just received my copy of No Finish Line (subtitled Discovering the World's Secrets One Bird at a Time), and have only had a chance to skim through, look at the some 140 photographs, and read select passages. Trust me, if you are a birder on any level, you'll enjoy reading this book. Few people have had the lengthy and well traveled birding career that Dr. Master has, and he pulls no punches when it comes to calling things as he sees them. Peppered throughout are accounts of his business endeavors, experiences in Vietnam, opinions on tour guides, and more. I'll write more about No Finish Line once I've had a chance to thoroughly peruse it.

You can get a copy RIGHT HERE.

Also, Bernie will be giving a talk next Tuesday evening, April 28, at the Grange Insurance Audubon Center in Columbus, Ohio. The title of his presentation is World Birding: Finding the Rarest Birds in the World. Having seen some 8,000 of the world's 10,400 species, Bernie has lots of fodder from which to draw, and his talk will undoubtedly touch on his new book. Speaking of which, there will be copies available at the talk, and this would be a great opportunity to hear a wonderful presentation AND get a copy of Bernie's book. Details about the talk can be found RIGHT HERE.

Birds of Worthington - free program, April 17!

Mark your calendars for the evening of Wednesday, April 17th! Dr. Bernard (Bernie) Master will be presenting a free program, liberally illustrated with beautiful bird images, at the McConnell Arts Center at 777 Evening Street in Worthington, Ohio. CLICK HERE for more information about this beautiful venue, including directions. The program begins at 7:00 pm, but try and arrive by 6:30 and enjoy some wine and cheese, and check out the facility.

 

Bernie is a uber-birder, and has been for nearly all of his life. A major globe-trotter, he's been to most corners of our earth and has seen about three-quarters of the world's 10,000+ bird species. Not only that, he's one of only three Americans to have seen representatives of all 227 bird families that are currently recognized.

I've known Bernie for 15 years or so, and have had the pleasure of spending time afield with him on many occasions, and visiting his Worthington property. It's the latter that this talk will focus on - he has recorded an astonishing number of birds in his "yard", including mega-rarities such as Kirtland's Warbler and Mississippi Kite. I can't recall the current yard-list total, but it's pushing 200 species, I think. Bernie has kept fastidious notes for many years related to his avian visitors, and has recorded many of them with his camera.

Photo: Bernard Master

I don't think Bernie's yet found Long-billed Dowitcher on his property, but this beautiful photo of one of those shorebirds snapping at a dragonfly gives you a sense of the imagery that you're in for with this program.

Bernie's yard is much more than a yard - it's a suburban sanctuary with a diversity of habitat the wildlife that comes along with that. Be sure and stop on by the McConnell Arts Center on the evening of April 17 and hear Bernie's talk. Hope to see you there!