Looking for an attractive “coffee table book” to share with a birding friend. On Feathered Wings is a great choice. There’s a bit of text here, covering very basic information about how birds fly, and two pages of notes about the photography, but this book isn’t about any of the writing; it’s all about the photos.
Richard Ettlinger is the book’s author and one of seven photographers whose photos of birds in flight are showcased in this large, attractive book. Flight is the common thread; all of the photos are of birds either in flight or with wings outstretched just before or after flight. The technical quality of the shots is remarkable; virtually every picture is sharp, and many are truly arresting images. A few of my favorites are the Burrowing Owl in flight from the side, a truly unique angle on this engaging bird, and the Eastern Meadowlark completing a display flight, parachuting down to earth against an intriguing warm tan background.
Some of the birds are shown in familiar, unoriginal compositions, yet the technical merit of virtually every photograph compensates for the lack of originality in these images. If you’ve ever tried to snap a shot of a bird in fight you’ll surely appreciate the accomplishments of these talented photographers. This collection is doubtless the end product of many thousands of hours in the field. It’s worth listing each of the photographers; in addition to Ettlinger, photos are by David G. Hemmings, K. K. Hui, Miguel Lasa, Ofer Levy, Jim Neiger, and Robert Palmer.
There is organization to the book, with photos divided into four categories. Raptors comprise the largest category, with over half the book dedicated to photos of hawks, owls, eagles, falcons and their relatives. Clearly the photographers are raptor fanatics, an affliction that we know well here in Cape May, as many of us suffer similarly. The other three sections focus on shorebirds (with puffins, terns, and gannets tossed in), waterfowl (plus herons and egrets), and songbirds. This last section is the shortest, but some of the songbird images are superb; in addition to the meadowlark mentioned previously, there are terrific shots of swallows, including an unbelievable snap of a Barn Swallow feeding its fledgling chick.
I don’t think you’ll pay much attention to the way the book is organized, nor to the text or even the captions. Pick up On Feathered Wings, however, and the photos will almost certainly captivate you. Leaf through the pages and say “Wow!” dozens of times. It’s a fun book, a beautiful book. Best of all, its list price of $40 makes it a good buy for such an attractive volume. I can see copies under a lot of birders’ Christmas trees this winter.
Ettinger, Richard. On Feathered Wings: Birds in Flight. New York, Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 2008. 184 pages, $40.00 hardcover. ISBN-13: 978-0-8109-9525-3.