Hello and welcome to my Sunday Recommendation. Thanks for joining me. Every week I read great wildlife and nature books, stumble upon engrossing websites and hear wonderful new music. This is my chance to bring you carefully curated recommendations of all the best I’ve experienced – every Sunday. If it’s folk, or independent, or about wildlife, nature or Orkney, I may love it, and so may you.

Nests – Susan Ogilvy

My friend Daniel came to stay with me recently and we had an enjoyable romp around Dartmoor and a few other South Devon favourite places. He came bearing gifts, and brought this book as a present for me. Nests by Susan Ogilvy is a simple concept and incredibly cleverly executed. From the quarter-bound linen-effect cover to the perfect shade of off-white paper, it’s a beautifully presented object and a pleasure to hold and to turn the pages.

Inside are fine reproductions of watercolours made on hot pressed paper, with great control of line and shade. The textures of many nests are supremely difficult to render accurately because of their use of natural materials. Lichens and mosses have complex structures which often don’t reproduce well. These illustrations do the job perfectly.

It’s a pleasure to browse. The text is unobtrusive and informative whilst being personal. It’s a great way to appreciate the wonders of the natural world on a dark evening.

It’s the sort of book you’ll want to share and say, “Look at this one”, when you turn to the Greenfinch or Wren. I’m grateful that Daniel shared it with me.

That’s it for this week. I’ll be back with more recommendations of things you might adore next Sunday. In the meantime, I wish you a great week. Keep safe, everyone.

More Sunday Recommendations