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Rob Hume, like so many of the people at the centre of Britain's conservation movement, is an extraordinary character. Although written in a humble (even self-deprecating) manner, the incredible depth of his knowledge and experience of birds illuminate the pages of this book. When reading it, you cannot fail to be impressed by his observational skills.

Whenever you question why your life took one course rather than another, there often seems to have been a remarkable convergence of events or circumstances guiding you down a particular path (some might call this fate). Such was the case with Rob Hume; from the inexplicable collection of quality bird books in his school library (no one else ever seemed to read them) to the close proximity of his home of one of Britain's best inland sites for rare birds - its easy to see how the boy Robert was drawn towards a life with birdsits easy to see how the boy Robert was drawn towards a life with birds.

The style of the book reminded me of another I have read called Best Days with British Birds in which various well-known birders describe their 'best days' spent watching birds. It says something of Rob's career that he has no trouble filling an entire book with his own best days (and even apparently had to leave an awful lot of them out). Based on his own meticulous field notes, the accounts are relentless in their pace and remarkable for the range and numbers of amazing birds he has encounteredBased on his own meticulous field notes, the accounts are relentless in their pace and remarkable for the range and numbers of amazing birds he has encountered. Although most of the chapters in the book adopt this 'best days' approach, others give an interesting insight into the world of bird-watching and recording, for example describing the work of the British Birds Rarities Committee. For me the book was most resonant when describing places or people that I have known and for that reason I loved the chapters on Mid-Wales having worked there briefly for the RSPB myself. And since the book talks about a number of regions in some depth (e.g. the West Midlands, South & Mid-Wales, Scotland and the Scilly Isles, not to mention Spain, North America and Africa), most people will find something of particular interest to them.

The most important insight I take away with me from this book is a real appreciation of just what it takes to become an expert bird watcher and recorder. There is no doubt in my mind that birds present some of the most daunting challenges of any plant or animal group that one may choose to studyThere is no doubt in my mind that birds present some of the most daunting challenges of any plant or animal group that one may choose to study. With plants and even most invertebrates, it is normally possible to collect a sample or 'voucher' specimen to carry out a difficult identification or have it determined by an expert. Contrast this approach with Rob Hume's account of long hours (indeed years) spent on the problem of separating Arctic terns (Sterna paradisaea) and common terns (Sterna hirundo) in the field.

I have been a student of birds myself for many years - I even have a PhD for work I did on upland skylarks (Alauda arvensis) and meadow pipits (Anthus pratensis) - but my knowledge of (and corresponding ID skills for) the group as a whole is several leagues below those of people like Rob Hume. Birders of this calibre, almost invariably, have spent a lifetime devoted to their subjectBirders of this calibre, almost invariably, have spent a lifetime devoted to their subject. Nearly always they start very young when few responsibilities or other demands on their time enable them to concentrate on the birds. Not coincidentally this is also the time when their developing brains are most adept in their ability to acquire and develop the observational acuity and tenacity which turns an ordinary knowledgeable bird-watcher into a real expert.

Of course one does not have to be an expert like Rob Hume to enjoy birds or even to do important work on the group: you simply need to know enoughOf course one does not have to be an expert like Rob Hume to enjoy birds or even to do important work on the group: you simply need to know enough. But for any aspiring bird identification expert, i.e. those who can never know enough, this book should be essential reading: it will show them just what it takes to reach the top of the tree.