With the Crossbill guide to Extremadura, that last question is the easiest to answer.  It’s a guide book for a naturalist visiting Extremadura.  It’s the kind of book I wish I’d had when I visited the area many years ago.  It’s the essential where, when, why, how and what.  It is not a field guide to the birds, flowers, butterflies, etc.   It provides the background, the context, to whatever it is you are interested in.

The first part of the book deals with the landscape – how it developed, both naturally and by human influence. The second part is about the flora and fauna in general, how it fits into the landscape.  Then there are specific places to go, driving routes and hiking routes.  Next the practical information about when to go, where to find accommodation, recommended reading, etc.  Finally, there is an annotated checklist of bird families with tips on how and where to find them, and lists (not comprehensive) of flowers, butterflies, reptiles, amphibians and mammals. And even a list of local dishes to try.

So that’s the construction of the book, what about the accuracy of the contents?

It’s a book you can dip in and out of, and find words of wisdom – the kind of thing you’d expect from a person giving a guided tour of an area.  I opened at one page and found “Paradoxically, because the Extremaduran soils are poor in nutrients, they offer plenty of food for birds. The rocky, shallow soil is not very suitable for growing crops, and precisely because of this, there is a lot of rough scrub, different species of grasses and wildflowers that provide seeds and nourishment for insects, and this is the food for the birds of the dehesa and steppes”.  

I had always assumed this was the case, but then the book goes into more detail about what that means – on both a human and a wildlife scale.  On the opposite page, it explores the question of why there are two separate populations of azure-winged magpies – one in China and one in Iberia. You’ll have to read the book to see why it has only been explained recently. 

I’ve dipped in and out of the book a few times.  Everything I read either brought back a memory, or added to my knowledge.  Looking at the site guide section, I compared my field notes with the information given, and it all added up correctly.  Of course, there were a few gems of places and roadside stops I had made that weren’t in the book, and places in the book that I hadn’t visited.

Did it make me want to go back – of course, it is a huge and wonderful place for wildlife, and there is so much I haven’t seen.  But next time, I’ll be taking this book along and I’ll be getting a lot more out of the visit.

It’s hard to say anything bad about this book, because I think it is great.  How will other people see it? Well, so far I have seen only positive reviews from other people.

I have most of the books in this series, and they are consistent in format and usefulness. And for those I bought prior to visiting the area concerned, they have been well worth their place in my luggage.

Other books in the Crossbill Guide series