BECAUSE of overseas commitments, London-born David Lindo - the Urban Birder - has in recent years become less conspicuous on the UK birding scene.
However, he remains a regular contributor to the RSPB Magazine, Bird Watching and other publications, and there is invariably a speaking slot for him at the annual Global Birdfair in Rutland where he pulls in large audiences.
What is more, via Zoom, he regularly conducts live interviews with guests from all over the world about their lives and their work and how both have been enriched by affinity with Nature. A couple of days later, these chats are posted on YouTube where they attract an ever-increasing audience.
Among those to have featured are Alison Steadman, the popular TV actress (she prefers the term 'actress' to 'actor') and best-selling novelist Margaret Attwood.
During her chat, the former came up with an intriguing fashion aside - passed down either by her grandmother or an aunt - that when it comes to colour co-ordination, you cannot go wrong by studying the plumage of birds.
It is unlikely that the actress played any part in the production of David Lindo's latest book, The Extraordinary World of Birds, but the vivid illustrations by his collaborator, Claire McElfatrick, seem to bear out this tip.
Some birds are sombre in their feathering and some are colourful but, whatever the case, Nature has ensured their hues are always balanced and appropriate.
Although this fascinating book has been produced for primary age children (they will love it), the entertaining and informative content ensures that the appeal spans the generations.
In a series of crisp, concise and colourful snapshots, The Extraordinary World covers the spectrum of what it means to be a bird - camouflage, flying, feeding, nesting, migrating, flocking, migrating (by night as well as by day) and more.
Also explored are the different sorts of habitats (including desert and city) and how some species, such as the Senegal thick-knee, are evolving to survive in a world that is endlessly shaped and reshaped by humankind, often with little regard for what impact this might have on wildlife.
Thankfully, David Lindo never lectures, he just says it how it is, and lets the reader drawn his/her own conclusions on what actions, if any, need to taken if Nature is to recover.
In 80 refreshing pages, the author also manages to cover much else - for instance, how birds have evolved from dinosaurs and what it takes to be a birder.
Massive credit also to the aforementioned Ms McElfatrick and to her design and production colleagues for their roles in creating such a vibrant package - one where the birds seem to fly (or hop, wade or waddle) out of every page.
The Extraordinary World of Birds is published (£14.99) in hardback by Dorling Kindersley.
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