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A Well Illustrated Scientific Journal

Looking for Seabirds by Sophie Webb Who must have this book: Any grade-school student who wants to be a field biologist. Who should have this book: Any Alaska birdwatcher or anyone interested in Alaska birdlife. ISBN: 0618212353

I don’t know that I would suggest this book as required reading for Alaskan birdwatchers, but it should be given to anyone who is dreaming about being a biological scientist. The book is actually a journal from an Aleutian scientific expedition aboard the Alpha Helix. The author’s entries are richly illustrated with her beautiful paintings which bring her journal to life. It is a short, but informative read.

The best thing this book does though, is to illustrate the life of a field researcher. Webb takes you along from the drive to Seward, arriving at the ship, through seasickness and storms, through hours of research, all the way to disembarking in Dutch Harbor. The level of the writing is probably at middle or high school and it should be read by any grade-school student that is thinking about becoming a field researcher.

If you are a birdwatcher, you will appreciate the book to put you into the author’s seat as she gets the ultimate pelagic birding trip through the Aleutians. The author gives plenty of good information about the birds she is studying but mostly it reads like a well written trip report.