2436 ( )

This is one of the most beautiful and uplifting books I've read. The illustrations are lovely and the stories of her interactions with all different types of birds are very captivating, informative, and feel-good. ( )

The author grew up with parents who enjoyed watching birds and helping them. As an adult she has regularly helped rehabilitate injured and raise orphaned wild birds, and this book contains stories of all the different types of birds she has helped. She is also an artist, so while helping them, she has drawn them at different stages (often as they grow), so many of her illustrations and paintings, with notes alongside, are included.

I really liked this. I do enjoy watching birds myself, but what a lot of work and effort it takes to raise the babies! The author also touches on habitat destruction, hunting, outdoor cats and other threats to wild birds, as well. The illustrations were beautiful, and I have to admit, although I prefer reading on my old Kobo Touch (black & white), the Kobo doesn’t always recognize DRM-free for library books, anymore, so I often end up reading on my tablet via Libby. The colour was really nice for the beautiful illustrations and paintings in this book. ( )

The Bluebird Effect – Zickfoose
4 stars

Julie Zickfoose is a talented wildlife artist and rehabilitator. I was familiar with her work in the magazine Bird Watcher’s digest which is published by her husband Bill Thompson. This book is filled with gorgeous illustrations and interesting essays involving bird rescue, conservation, and our human relationships to the avian world. Zickfoose is clearly passionate about her chosen work. Her writing is articulate, frequently humorous and occasionally heart-rending.
This is a fairly long book and it took me some time the get through it. It is divided into four seasonal sections: Spring Songbirds: Peeking into the Nest; Summer Work: Drawing, Raising, and Saving Birds; Autumnal Reflections: Pondering the Imponderable; and Winter Musings: Birds We Feed, Birds That Feed Us. The spring and summer essays are mostly about the demanding effort involved in the rescue of individual birds. The autumn and winter sections still deal with specific bird species, but are more concerned with the ethical concerns of conservation, bird feeding and the captive pet birds. Each of the essays can be read independently of the others and are similar, although longer, to articles appearing in birding magazines. The beautiful illustrations include pencil sketches with observation notes as well as full page water color paintings. My favorite chapter ? That would be the one about the hand rearing of baby hummingbirds. Amazing.
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Thrilling! ( )