Gordon Waterhouse is known to most birders and natural historians in Devon, particularly in the Kingsbridge and the South Hams area, and to generations of schoolchildren. Although no longer coordinator of the Kingsbridge Estuary WeBS counts, he fulfilled that role for many years, and became the voice of the estuary and the wider area. This was particularly through his writings, in articles in the Kingsbridge Gazette and Devon Birds, and in his books Wildlife of the Salcombe and Kingsbridge Estuary (first published in 1992), The Birds and Natural History of the South Hams (2000) and now, just published, Birds of the Salcombe & Kingsbridge Estuary (2024). Although there had been a revised edition of his first book in 1999, enough changes have taken place in the last 25 years to merit another. Birds of the Salcombe & Kingsbridge Estuary is effectively that third edition, but with the focus now on birds, as reflected in the slight change in title.
This beautiful book, dedicated to the memory of Gordon’s late wife Barbara, has much in common with its predecessor; the layout of the chapters, the forward by Tony Soper, the maps by Hilary Soper, the line drawings by Mick Loates and much of the writing. However, the new book is a more substantial affair, a 125-page hardback, with the most obvious difference from its predecessor being the large number of colour photos – all taken in the estuary by local birders – replacing the few black and white images of the 1992 book. Even the frontispiece, a Cirl Bunting engraving by Eliza Dorville, is now in colour thanks to the Salcome Art Club! More pages are now devoted to George Montagu and his connection with the area, and the other main change is that there is more description and analysis of the large body of data on the estuary’s birds accumulated over six decades. Gains and losses, involving Coot, Brent Geese, Curlew, Mediterranean Gulls and many others are highlighted. Some of the line drawings from the first edition are retained and are now joined by two wonderful colour paintings by Keith Shackleton, which also fill the inside covers.
The book is an informative guide written in Gordon’s singular and unmistakable style. It’s a friendly book, and warmly welcomes readers both into the rich natural world of the estuary and into the community of WeBS counters and others who watch, count and photograph its birds. Whether you just want a guide to where to go and what to see (and where the slippery bits are), or a closer look at the data on numbers, this book should have wide appeal, both within and well beyond the Kingsbridge area. Many will be familiar with the Charleton Marsh hide (now 20 years old) and proceeds from the sale of the book will go towards its future maintenance. So, buy the book, save the hide and immerse yourself in Gordon’s compelling guide to this wonderful estuary.
The book is priced at £14.99 and the ISBN is 978-1-3999-8623-6.
