Now a sprightly 82 years of age, Hugh Boyd was employed as the bird warden on Lundy Island in 1948 and 1949, before embarking on a distinguished international wildlife conservation career in both Europe and North America.

In a few days time, Hugh will be undertaking the long journey from Ottawa – where he settled and raised a family – to North Devon. On 6th October, wind and waves permitting, Hugh will set foot on Lundy once more.

His epic voyage will mark the publication, at the end of September, of a brand new book on Lundy’s birds, to which Hugh has contributed the Foreword. The Birds of Lundy is the result of eight years’ devoted work by North Devon ornithological experts and self-confessed Lundy addicts, Tim Davis and Tim Jones. It is the first book devoted to the island’s birds in more than a quarter of a century and has been illustrated by renowned Devon wildlife artist Mike Langman.

Tim and Tim, who live and work in Berrynarbor, hope that their book will appeal to anyone with an interest in Lundy and its wildlife, covering as it does, some 317 species, from the diminutive Goldcrest to the enormous White-tailed Eagle – not forgetting of course Lundy’s trademark Puffins.

Hugh Boyd writes: “Any study of birds is a study of continual change, by a changing group of observers with changing equipment, drawing on a growing body of knowledge that will never be as complete as we would like. A work like this not only brings the story up to date, it also enables us to use our most recent knowledge to interpret more fully the records from the past.”

The Birds of Lundy will be launched at RM Young (Bookseller), 17 Broad Street, South Molton at 11.00 on Saturday 29th September and anyone interested is warmly welcome to drop in. There will be a chance to meet the authors and to purchase copies of the book and light refreshments will be served until 1.00pm.

All proceeds from The Birds of Lundy, which is being published by the authors on behalf of the Devon Bird Watching & Preservation Society and the Lundy Field Society, are going to support conservation projects on the island.

All the details of how to order the book can be found at http://www.birdsoflundy.org.uk

This Press Release comes from Ian Farrell of the DBWPS Publishing Group. Email: info@devonbirds.org

Editors’ Notes:

The Birds of Lundy will be published on Saturday 29 September 2007. There will be an official launch and book-signing event from 11.00am to 1.00pm at R.M. Young Bookseller, 17 Broad Street, South Molton. The launch is open to the public and light refreshments will be provided.

The Birds of Lundy is being published in both softback and limited edition hardback versions, retailing at £18.95 and £35.00 respectively.

The book is illustrated with 20 colour photographs and over 100 black and white line-drawings.

The Birds of Lundy is published by the authors’ own imprint, Harpers Mill Publishing of Berrynarbor, on behalf of Devon Bird Watching & Preservation Society (also known as ‘Devon Birds’) and the Lundy Field Society. Both of these charitable organisations have supported the publication financially.

The Devon Bird Watching & Preservation Society (DBWPS) is the leading organisation devoted to the conservation of birds and their habitats across the county of Devon. It was founded in 1928 and has over 1200 members. For further details visit www.devonbirds.org

The Lundy Field Society (LFS): The LFS was founded in 1946 and is now a charity that has as its aims the study of Lundy, in particular its history, natural history and archaeology, and the conservation of its wildlife and antiquities. For more information visit http://www.lundy.org.uk/

Tim Davis and Tim Jones will be available for interview at the launch on 29 September. Alternatively, they can be contacted at info@birdsoflundy.org.uk

Press Release: 2007.09.18-004