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Since you are reading this I assume that you or someone in your life loves birds.ÌýMay I also assume, dear reader, that you are in a quandary about what to buy this holiday season for your birding friends. ÌýPanic no more.ÌýHere are my suggestions for books, optics, and even a flashlight.ÌýA gift from this list will delight any birder.

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A Spicing of Birds: Poems By Emily Dickinson, Illustrations By Early Masters of Bird Art (Wesleyan Universtity Press, 2010)ÌýEmily Dickinson was one of America’s best poets.Ìý Her poems straddle classicism, romanticism, and modernism.ÌýHer idiosynchratic word order and grammar add layers of meaning and delight which make us want to read her poems over and over.ÌýOf the 1775 poems penned by Dickinson, over 200 are about birds.ÌýThe editors of this collection have selected a number of Dickinson’s bird poems and paired them with paintings by aÌý masters of bird art such as John James ÃÛèÖAPP, Alexander Wilson, Louis Agisiz Fuertes, Allan Brooks, and Thomas Nuttall.Ìý The book is beautifully designed. ÌýA great gift!

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The Nesting Season: Cuckoos, Cuckolds, And The Invention of Monogamy, Bernd Heinrich, (The Belknap Press at Harvard University Press, 2010)ÌýPerhaps the best natural history book of the year!.ÌýHeinrich illuminates one of the hottest topics in contemporary biology in a very accessible way.ÌýA great read.ÌýSee the full review on this blog.

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Bird Coloration: Geoffrey E. Hill (National Geographic, 2010)ÌýAlthough feathers are the most visible characteristic of birds most of us don’t give them much thought.ÌýFeathers are necessary for flight, for shape, and for insulation.ÌýThey are also a basis of sexual attraction.ÌýThey are marvels of engineering.ÌýHill explores, in depth, this subject which, until recently, has been locked in the realm of academic ornithology.ÌýThe text is engaging and thorough.ÌýThe illustrations are beautiful.ÌýSee the fullÌýreview on this blog.
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Bayshore Summer,ÌýPete Dunne (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010)ÌýPete Dunne is one of our best birders and best teachers.ÌýHe is also a terrific writer.ÌýBayshore Summer is my favorite among Pete’s books, because it is about a place he knows intimately.ÌýIt is about home.ÌýBayshore Summer is one of the very best books about place.ÌýA delightful read.

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The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs, ÌýGregory S. Paul (Princeton University Press, 2010)ÌýSince dinosaurs are the most recent common ancestors of modern birds I can safely sneak this one onto my list. ÌýIt is a lavishly illustrated and well written guide to all the known species of dinosaurs and an inventory of the best fossil remains.ÌýThe excellent introduction gives us a great primer on dinosaur evolution and biology.ÌýThis one is a great gift for children of any age.ÌýSee a full review on this blog.

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The Best Bird-Worthy Binoculars:ÌýFor a full explanation of what you need to know about binoculars and what to buy see The ÃÛèÖAPP Guide to Binoculars in AUDUBON, (Nov/Dec. 2009).ÌýIf you just want to know what to buy for someone who has been especially nice during 2010, here’s my list:

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If you are in the market for the state of the art and willing to spend a bit over $2,000 there are only three choices.ÌýThe person receiving any of these will be thrilled, but he or she should look through all three before making a choice, so if you are planning a surprise be sure that you can exchange them.

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For less expensive bins, the following models provide great optics, brightness, and field of view.ÌýAll of these will also work well with eyeglasses.

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Vortex Fury 8x32 (on sale for $175 at as of the date of this posting)

Nikon Monarch 8x42 (about $280)

Leupold Yosemite 6x30 (about $80)

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If you spend time outdoors you’re gonna need a flashlight.ÌýYou’re gonna want one that works all the time.ÌýWhy? You’re gonna use it to find your way into or out of the woods at dawn or dusk, for loading your pack, or for finding your car.ÌýThe newest generation of flashlights use LED light sources rather than incandescent bulbs.ÌýLEDs are brighter, last longer, and are impervious to shock.ÌýThe best flashlights were designed for law enforcement and for the military, so they are far more reliable than anything you may have owned before.

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My top choice for an all around flashlight is the Olight T20 V2010.ÌýThis thing fits in a pocket or the palm of your hand and has three brightness levels. ÌýIt is made from hard-anodized aluminum, so it should last forever. ÌýAt its highest setting (which you will use rarely) it is approximately ten times brighter than the giant D-cell flashlight that was once standard police issue.ÌýUse it at its lowest level to find your way around a parking lot or to consult your field guide without overwhelming your night vision.ÌýThe medium setting is perfect for finding your way out of the woods without tripping on roots,Ìýfalling in holes, or banging your head on low limbs. ÌýIt sells for about $60 from . Ìý(Since this light uses a special lithium battery be sure to buy a half-dozen when you buy the light.ÌýThey have a ten year shelf life so don’t worry about stocking up.)